EXCLUSIVE I insulated my home with £1 cardboard and polystyrene from eBay – and I’m still worried about rising energy price cap: Single father who used DIY hacks to cut £800 heating bills reveals fears over Ofgem hike

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A father forced to insulate his home with £1 cardboard and polystyrene tiles said he is still worried about about the rising energy price cap. 

Nigel Cleall, of Martley, Worcestershire, said he has spent more than £500 keeping his flat warm with DIY insulation techniques and claims to have saved over 75 per cent on his bills.

The father-of-two said he would have forked out close to £800 a month just in heating bills if he had his traditional air source heat pump.

Household bills are set to increase in January after it was announced last week that the energy bill cap would be increasing.

Energy regulator Ofgem said the typical annual household bill would go up from £1,834 to £1,928, a rise of £94 – or 5 per cent.

Savvy Nigel, 52, kitted out the ceilings of his Worcestershire-based flat last year with cardboard ordered from eBay and polystyrene tiles.

Are YOU worried about the energy price cap hike? Email [email protected] 

Nigel said he was forced to insulate his home with £1 cardboard and polystyrene tiles

Nigel Cleall, of Martley, Worcestershire, said he has spent more than £500 keeping his flat warm with DIY insulation techniques

Nigel said he is still worried about energy price increases starting in January

Nigel kitted out the ceilings of his Worcestershire-based flat last year with cardboard ordered from eBay and polystyrene tiles

He attached them to his ceiling before adding a layer of thermal wallpaper and plastering it to complete his insulation.

He’s now replaced his old heating system with a new electric panel heaters that he’s fitted in each room, which cost him £60.

Despite his cunning cost-cutting, Nigel said he is he is worried about energy price increases starting in January.

Nigel said: ‘I am still worried about the energy price cap rise coming in next year.

‘I am always worried about my finances, and I always have to work everything out to see if I have enough money at the end of the month.

‘I would’ve been more worried last year but because of what I’ve done in my flat I’m slightly less bothered now. I’ve near enough saved 75% on my energy bills.

‘I still worry about my money but I’m not in the situation where I was last year. It was a case of having no heating on because I couldn’t afford it.

Nigel is seen with his DIY equipment which he used to help heat his home 

Nigel, pictured with his dog, has offered to feed and house two elderly locals this Christmas thanks to his energy savings, but says the government should be doing more

Nigel said: ‘I am still worried about the energy price cap rise coming in next year’ 

Nigel’s DIY foam insulation which he installed to insulate his home 

READ MORE: Energy bills to rise by £94 from January plunging more cash-strapped families into misery as typical yearly household bill hits £1,928

‘I’ve paid £220 for this month and I’ve had the heating on all this month. I’ve got rid of the heating system I did have, it broke and would cost £5,000 to repair because the condenser part went.

‘I said no so I put my own electric heating system in, which are panel heaters in my bedroom, my front room, the hall, my lads bedroom and I have a towel rail.

‘I bought them off of marketplace and I paid roughly £60 in total. I bought timers so they’re all on an electrical timer. The only one I haven’t done yet is my lads. His room is 10 degrees, while the front room is 20 degrees.

‘This is where the problem is. I paid 26p per KW per hour before. How a heat air source pump works is that it’s on 22 hours a day. It’s £28 a day just for the heating, which is over £200 a week. It is £800 odd for a month. I’m paying £220 for everything now. Electric and heating.’

He added: ‘With a gas central heating, it’s designed to come on for a few hours and boost the temperature to a high heat and then go off.’

Nigel has offered to feed and house two elderly locals this Christmas thanks to his energy savings, but says the government should be doing more.

He added: ‘I put cardboard up and platform wasn’t happy. They sent the fire brigade out. They turned around and said cardboard burns less than normal wallpaper. 

He attached the materials to his ceiling before adding a layer of thermal wallpaper and plastering it to complete his insulation

Nigel is seen holding up his tools but is still worried about rising energy costs 

‘I’ve still got it up. I then put a thermal wallpaper on, then I bought some special insulation polystyrene tiles, then I’ve double skimmed it. It’s got plaster on it now.

‘I paid £2 for the two big rolls, the polystyrene cost me £50 per room. It’s like now, I have no heating on but it’s up in the 20s.

‘I’ve noticed a hell of a difference in here. I come home to a nice warm home. It’s still going up but I’m not worried.

‘The government can help a hell of a lot more, when they go abroad they should fly economy. They should pay for their own meals.

‘I do blame these government people as they could do a hell to help but they don’t do that.

‘It’s cost me around about £400-500 in total to insulate, but you see the savings that I get.

‘I’ve offered to invite two elderly people around here to have Christmas lunch here. I don’t want any money. They can have a nice hot meal on Christmas day. I’ve put a sign out. There’s no catch, they can come here and be in comfort and have Christmas dinner.’

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