Ideal Thermostat Setting in the UK: Stay Warm and Cut Your Heating Bills

What Is the Ideal Thermostat Temperature in the UK?

In the UK, most households heat their homes for roughly half the year, so the temperature you set on your thermostat has a big impact on both comfort and cost. Government and energy-efficiency guidance typically recommends keeping your main living areas between 18°C and 21°C.

For most homes, a good balance between comfort and energy saving is:

• Daytime / evening (when you are at home and active): 19°C–21°C in living areas
• Night-time (or when you’re out): around 16°C–18°C
• Bedrooms: often comfortable at 16°C–19°C

Every home is different, but adjusting your thermostat even by 1°C lower can reduce your heating bill by up to around 10%, depending on your property and usage.

Recommended Thermostat Settings for Different Rooms

Your ideal thermostat setting depends on how you use each part of your home. Use the guide below as a starting point and then fine-tune based on your comfort.

Zoned heating and thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) make it easier to manage different temperatures in different rooms, so you only pay to heat the spaces you actually use.

Day & Night: How to Schedule Your Thermostat

Modern programmable and smart thermostats allow you to set different temperatures for different times of day. This is one of the simplest ways to reduce your energy use without compromising comfort.

Example daily thermostat schedule (typical working day)

• 06:00–08:30 – Warm up the home to around 19°C–20°C before you get up.
• 08:30–16:30 – Reduce to around 16°C–17°C while you are out.
• 16:30–22:30 – Increase to 19°C–21°C for comfortable evenings.
• 22:30 onwards – Lower back to around 16°C–18°C for sleeping.

Most systems need some “pre-heat” time, especially on colder days, so use your thermostat’s scheduling or “learning” feature if available. Smart thermostats can automatically adjust pre-heat based on outside temperatures.

How Lowering Your Thermostat Saves Money

Heating typically accounts for the largest share of a UK home’s energy bill. The relationship between the temperature you set and the amount of energy used is significant.

The impact of a 1°C change

Many energy experts estimate that reducing your thermostat by just 1°C could save up to 10% on your heating costs. While the exact figure varies depending on insulation, boiler efficiency and occupancy patterns, the principle is simple: the lower the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors, the less heat your home loses.

For example, if you typically keep your home at 22°C, reducing it to 20°C during the day can have a noticeable effect on your annual bill – with most people barely noticing the change after a few days.

Comfort vs. cost: finding your sweet spot

The key is to find the lowest temperature at which your household still feels comfortable. Start with your usual setting, then:

1. Reduce the thermostat by 1°C for a full week.
2. Ask everyone in the home if they still feel comfortable.
3. If yes, reduce by another 1°C the following week.
4. If anyone finds it too cool, increase by 0.5°C–1°C.

This gradual approach helps you avoid sudden changes and ensures you don’t waste money overheating your home.

Ideal Thermostat Setting for Different Households

Comfort and health needs vary depending on age, health conditions and how well your property retains heat. Use the guidance below to adapt the “typical” UK settings to your own circumstances.

Homes with babies or young children

• Most health guidance suggests keeping baby rooms around 16°C–20°C.
• Use a room thermometer and appropriate sleepwear and bedding rather than overheating the room.
• Make sure cots and beds are placed away from draughts and radiators.

Older adults or people with health conditions

• Cold homes can increase the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular problems.
• Public health advice often recommends keeping main living areas at around 18°C–21°C for vulnerable people.
• It may be better to maintain a slightly higher constant temperature rather than large fluctuations.

Well-insulated and modern homes

• Good insulation, double or triple glazing and draught-proofing allow you to run your thermostat at the lower end of the comfort range.
• Many occupants of well-insulated homes are comfortable at 18°C–19°C throughout the day.

Older or poorly insulated properties

• These homes lose heat faster, so you may prefer a slightly higher thermostat setting to compensate.
• Investing in loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and draught-proofing can reduce heat loss and allow you to turn the thermostat down over time.

Smart Thermostats: More Control, Less Waste

Smart thermostats and connected heating controls are increasingly popular in UK homes. They offer greater control over your ideal thermostat setting and help you avoid heating an empty home.

Key benefits of smart heating controls

• App control from anywhere – Turn heating up or down using your phone when you’re away from home.
• Learning schedules – Many devices learn your routine and optimise heating to match.
• Weather compensation – Adjusts boiler output based on outside temperature.
• Room-by-room control – Smart TRVs let you set different temperatures in different rooms.
• Energy reports – See when and where you’re using the most energy and spot savings opportunities.

Used correctly, a smart thermostat helps you keep your ideal indoor temperature while minimising wasted heat. Combined with a high-efficiency boiler and good insulation, it’s one of the most effective tools for managing UK heating costs.

Common Thermostat Myths in the UK

There is a lot of confusion about the best way to use a thermostat. Clearing up a few myths can help you run your heating more efficiently.

Myth 1: “Turning the thermostat up heats the house faster”

Your boiler heats water at a fixed rate. Turning the thermostat from 21°C up to 28°C does not heat your home faster – it simply keeps the heating on for longer and risks overheating the property. Set the thermostat to your target temperature and leave it.

Myth 2: “It’s cheaper to keep heating on low all day”

In most UK homes, only heating when you need it is more efficient than running the system all day at a low level. The longer your house is kept warm, the more heat it loses through walls, windows and roofs. Programmable or smart thermostats that match your schedule are usually the most economical option.

Myth 3: “Room thermostats control how hot radiators get”

A wall thermostat measures room temperature, not radiator temperature. It turns your heating system on or off to maintain the set room temperature. Radiator temperature is mainly controlled by the boiler flow temperature or individual TRVs.

Myth 4: “Higher thermostat settings always mean more comfort”

Comfort also depends on humidity, draughts, insulation and clothing. Often you can feel just as comfortable at a lower thermostat setting if you cut draughts, use rugs and close curtains, and wear warm layers.

Practical Tips to Get the Most from Your Thermostat

Even the best ideal thermostat setting won’t deliver savings if your controls and radiators are not set up correctly. Use the checklist below to make sure your system is working for you.

1. Place your thermostat correctly

• Install the thermostat in a central, well-used room such as a hallway or living room.
• Avoid placing it near radiators, direct sunlight, draughts or behind furniture.
• Mount it at roughly 1.5m from the floor for an accurate reading.

2. Use thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs)

• Fit TRVs on individual radiators so each room can be set to a different comfort level.
• Set bedrooms slightly cooler and spare rooms to a frost-protection or low setting.
• Do not fully close TRVs in rooms that contain exposed pipework in winter to prevent freezing.

3. Balance your radiators

• If some rooms are always warmer or cooler than others, your system may need balancing.
• A heating engineer can adjust the flow of hot water to each radiator to improve consistency.

4. Combine thermostat settings with insulation

• Seal gaps around windows and doors with draught-proofing strips.
• Use thick curtains at night, especially over single-glazed windows.
• Ensure your loft and cavity walls are properly insulated where possible.

5. Review your settings seasonally

• In autumn, gradually increase heating times as the weather cools.
• In spring, experiment with shorter heating periods and slightly lower temperatures.
• Turn your heating off completely over the summer, but run the system occasionally to keep pumps moving.

Ideal Thermostat Setting FAQs (UK Homes)

What temperature should I set my thermostat to in winter in the UK?

Most UK households find a winter thermostat setting of 19°C–21°C in living areas comfortable, with 16°C–18°C at night or when the home is unoccupied.

Is 18°C warm enough for a house?

For many healthy adults, 18°C can be a comfortable and energy-efficient temperature, especially in well-insulated homes. Vulnerable people, including older adults or those with certain health conditions, may benefit from keeping main living spaces slightly warmer, around 19°C–21°C.

What should I set my thermostat to at night?

Most people are comfortable sleeping with the thermostat set between 16°C and 18°C. Use appropriate bedding and nightwear rather than keeping the heating high overnight.

What is the most economical way to use my thermostat?

Set your thermostat to the lowest comfortable temperature, use timers or smart schedules so you only heat the home when needed, and avoid turning the thermostat up and down repeatedly throughout the day.

How can I tell if my thermostat is accurate?

Place a simple room thermometer several feet away from the thermostat and compare readings. If there is a consistent difference, your thermostat may need recalibrating or relocating to a more representative position.