As we wave goodbye to summer, winter’s approach feels bleaker than ever. Against the backdrop of the highest inflation rates in 40 years and the rising cost of living, the UK faces a steep increase in energy costs.

The price cap – which is set by regulator Ofgem – will go up by 80 per cent in October, meaning the maximum amount utility companies can charge standard-tariff customers will increase. This could see the average household’s annual energy bill go up to £3,549 from £1,971.

With the colder weather soon to set in, many people will be in desperate circumstances and faced with difficult decisions regarding how high they can feasibly set their thermostats.

While it’s clear more action needs to be done at a governmental level, there are a number of things you can do to make sure your home stays as warm as possible this winter.

From preventing unwanted draughts to making sure your bed is lovely and toasty, we round up some of the best cold-busting methods to try.

If you’ve kitted yourself out in the warmest of loungewear but still can’t seem to shrug off the unwelcome chill, a hot-water bottle should be top of your shopping list.

Ideal for keeping you warm while working from home, this faux fur version (£35, Thewhitecompany.com) was named best buy in our round-up of the best hot-water bottles for being a “cosy delight”. Our tester said: “So thick and velvety is the faux fur that we began comparing the feel of it to the sensation of stroking a baby bunny or kitten.” They added: “The soothing effect is the same, with the added benefit of hours of warmth and no pet wriggling to escape your neediness.”

For something a little more pocket-friendly, Wilko’s hot-water bottle (£6.50, Wilko.com) was praised for being great if you’re “on a budget and want to feel the benefits of a hot-water bottle”.

If your home isn’t properly insulated, a draught excluder is a must for keeping the chill at bay. Not only are these nifty products great at stopping air creeping through cracks, they can also add a stylish touch to your living space.

For a chic addition that also does the job, we recommend picking up this juju door stop (£32, Kalinko.com), which was the winner in our round-up of the best draught excluders. “The double-lined material has a top-quality feel, and the weighty gravel filling ensures it stays put. Although its compact size means it’s not ideal if you’ve got deep gaps beneath the entire width of the door, it’s a great option if your cold air issues stem from doors swinging open,” our reviewer said.

Alternatively, for something less than half the price, our tester also loved this Dunelm checked draught excluder (£12, Dunelm.com). This “brilliantly priced” design was praised for feeling “wonderfully luxurious”, and for the fact “it’s thick, full and keeps its shape easily”.

The lightweight bedding that kept you cool over summer just won’t cut it when it’s cold, so make sure to swap to a dedicated winter duvet. The tog will tell you just how toasty it is – the higher the number, the cosier you’ll be and as a general rule, a winter duvet should be 10.5 or above to keep you snug.

In our round-up of the best winter duvets, Scooms’s all-seasons Hungarian goose-down duvet (£340, Scooms.com) took the top spot, thanks to its natural temperature-regulating properties, ultra-comfy feel and 10-year guarantee. “This duvet is so fluffy, it felt like we were snuggling down in a freshly made hotel bed,” our tester said. “We especially liked the fact the all-seasons duvet comes in a range of options, so you can match 2.5 and 4.5 tog duvets or 2.5 and 9 tog ones if you prefer something a little lighter, though our mix of 4.5 and 9 togs felt like the perfect cuddly combination for chilly winter nights.”

If you’re looking for something a bit more purse-friendly, consider the Silentnight yours and mine dual tog duvet (£35, Silentnight.co.uk), which also featured in our round-up. Highlighted as the best option for couples, our tester said it combines two different togs in one duvet, meaning one half has a 10.5 tog for those who sweat year-round and the other is a warmer 13.5 tog for anyone who wants to keep the cold at bay.

It’s not just duvets that keep you toasty in bed, an electric blanket can take the edge off even more. While they, of course, use electricity, they tend to be fairly cheap to run – on average, it costs around 23p per night to run. If you’re looking for the perfect one, Dreamland’s Scandi heated sherpa underblanket (£104.99, Lakeland.co.uk) took the top spot in our review of the best electric blankets.

It “has everything you’d want from an electric blanket”, noted our writer. “It’s thick, high quality, ultra soft, and heats up quickly and evenly,” they added. What they loved was “the intelliheat+ technology that is built in, both for safety and wellbeing reasons”. And if you’re concerned about how it’ll feel on top of your mattress, it was noted as being “so comfortable that it feels brilliant on the bed, even when it’s not turned on”.

Admittedly, at £104.99, it’s on the higher end of the price scale, so we’d also like to recommend Beurer’s TS15 ecologic double heated under blanket (£24.24, Amazon.co.uk), which received similar high praise.

It’s “made from meltingly soft fleece fabric and fits perfectly on a double bed, with elasticated ties to prevent any slippage for a wonderfully comfortable – and toasty – night”. There are three heat settings, and while it’s the cheapest in the review, our tester found that it “certainly doesn’t scrimp on quality and functions”.

If you’re feeling the cold while sitting at your desk, the likelihood is you could do with wearing a few more layers.

While that crewneck T-shirt might have seen you through the summer months, it just won’t cut it during winter, so make sure to invest in multiple light layers that will insulate your body and make it easier to regulate your temperature.

If you need to ensure you still look the part for Zoom calls, we suggest picking up a cosy jumper, such as this luxurious number (£120, Next.co.uk) from high-street stalwart Next. Taking the top spot in our round-up of the best women’s cashmere jumpers, our tester said it competes with the heavyweight brands that stock similar jumpers at double, if not triple, the price.

“It has a ribbed neckline and cuffs, with a slightly oversized fit that makes it a total dream to wear,” they said. “Owing to its thickness, it’s the perfect layering piece and works well with every outfit we’ve paired it with so far, whether that’s leopard-print jeans or a black mini skirt,” they added.

Another snuggly option is this crewneck pullover sweater (£27.90, Amazon.co.uk), which featured in our review of the best women’s knitted jumpers. It left our tester “pleasantly surprised” owing to the fact that quality was not compromised for affordability.

“It’s versatile and comfortable, and it can be worn as loungewear, with the matching shorts (£26.62, Amazon.co.uk), or to the office with cigarette trousers, a trench coat and a pair of loafers.”

Whether you’re working from home or not, you can’t go wrong with comfy joggers, and this oversized pair (£12.99, Hm.com) will keep you warm in style. Named best buy in our guide to the best women’s joggers, our reviewer said: “With a slightly oversized cut, high-waisted fit and fleece lining, they’re comfortable yet not too informal, so you could easily wear these out (and of course, we have). For less than £13, these really are a no-brainer.”

We also love this pair of fleece-lined joggers (£24.75, Asos.com) from fitness brand Reebok, which our tester fell in love with as soon as they took them out the box. “They have a serious thickness to them and a fleece lining that makes them that extra bit cosy,” our tester said. “Owing to the fact they’re slightly oversized, we’d recommend opting for your normal size or sizing down,” they added.

In terms of menswear, Adidas’s joggers (£55, Adidas.co.uk) come highly recommended in our round-up of best joggers for men, with our tester noting that if you’re looking for “thick, fleecy jogger that will serve you well through the winter months, these are a worthy option”. Sounds about right to us.

Now that you’ve upgraded your winter wardrobe, it’s time to invest in one of the most crucial cold-busting items: a pair of slippers.

If you tend to have chilly floors, wearing cosy slippers around the house is guaranteed to make your whole body feel warmer, especially if you choose a fluffy style, such as this pair from Ugg (£100, Ugg.com). In our guide to the best women’s slippers, our reviewer said: “These slides will convert you into a true slipper fanatic. Made from impossibly soft sheepskin, they keep your feet wonderfully warm despite the slide shape, while the logo band keeps feet firmly in place. It’s like swaddling your soles in a silky wonderland.”

For a more affordable pair, we recommend these mule slippers from M&S (£12.50, Marksandspencer.com). Featuring a hidden arch mould that our tester said offers “amazing support”, they come in a choice of three colours. “The unbelievably soft lining and knitted exterior offer classic warmth and make for hugely pleasurable wearing,” our tester said. “For a solid staple pair that is sure to get you through the cooler months – this is the one to go for,” they added.

Similarly, these The North Face thermoball NSE III men’s tent mules (£45, Thenorthface.co.uk) were noted as being “best for warmth” in our review of best slippers for men.

“We were deeply impressed with just how toasty they made our feet, so they’re perfect if you’re the sort that’s always complaining of be-icicled digits,” wrote our tester. An investment at £45, but a pair that you’ll undoubtedly enjoy throughout many winters to come.

The answer to many of life’s problems (according to Brits, at least) is a hot cup of tea, and a good brew will work wonders when it comes to warming your body from the inside. Taking the top spot in our round-up of the best plastic-free teabags are the Brew Tea Co proper tea bags in earl grey (£4.59 for 15, Brewteacompany.com), which our reviewer found to be full of flavour, mixing bergamot oil with Ceylon black tea, orange peel and calendula petals.

If you’re planning on making a round of well-brewed bevs, it’s a great idea to invest in a teapot. We love this blue version from Denby (£50, Seasoncookshop.co.uk), which features a trendy blue speckled design. “We were pleased to discover the integral stainless-steel strainer inside, despite the traditional design, which makes for a fuss-free way to brew yourself a real cuppa. The convenience continues, as it’s dishwasher safe, and comes with a 10-year guarantee, should the Denby durability falter,” our reviewer said in our guide to the best teapots.

Not a tea fan? Fear not, there are plenty of other winter warmers you can try, including the ultimate indulgence: hot chocolate.

For a seriously luxurious experience, we recommend buying a velvetiser (£99.95, Hotelchocolat.com), which works by simultaneously heating and whisking the milk and hot chocolate together to create a homogenous, silky smooth mixture with a frothy top. In our review of the gadget, our tester called it a “fun and opulent way to take your fix from standard to standout”.

Coffee lovers, meanwhile, will do well to invest in a machine, such as the Nespresso vertuoplus (£199, Nespresso.com), which was highlighted in our guide to the best coffee pod machines for providing you with everything from a single espresso to a longer drink.

“Incredibly easy to use, simply make sure you’ve got the right-sized coffee cup for the drink that it’s making and then press a button. The machine even neatly dispatches the used pod into a waiting container at the back of the machine,” said our reviewer.

Not that we need an excuse to cosy up, but blankets are another great way to layer, helping to keep the heat your body generates close.

This millay throw (£185, Issygranger.com) is a toasty and more-affordable alternative to reaching for the thermostat. Featuring in our round up of the best wool blankets, it’s made from 100 per cent pure merino lambswool and was described by our reviewer as feeling “lightweight yet incredibly warm”.

For “when regular throws don’t cut it”, noted our writer, “this gorgeous velvet number from Dreamland (£79.99, Dreamlanduk.co.uk) will be just what’s needed”. It’s a “lifesaver – well, cold legs saver – when we’ve been working from home on the cold, grey days”, meaning you can stay warm without turning the heating on.

“It warms up evenly and quickly, and the simple-to-use controller allows for plenty of choices when it comes to time and temperature. It’s also beautifully soft, snuggly and stylish and comes in grey and navy, to fit any interior colour scheme,” added our writer.

Alternatively, you could invest in a weighted blanket. The science behind them relates to deep touch pressure (DTP) – a form of sensory input often delivered through hugging and squeezing – which is said to be able to help people who feel anxious, and lead to better sleep.

If you could do with a snuggly quilt that keeps you both calm and cosy, try this 7kg weighted blanket (£149, Aayela.co.uk). Taking the top spot in our review of the best weighted blankets, our tester said: “The main sway for us has been the luxurious 100 per cent eucalyptus silk shell surrounding the weighted blanket inner and the 300 thread count outer cover. The fabric is soft and looks remarkably similar to real silk – we’d struggle to differentiate between the two if we weren’t told.”

For more on how to stay warm, read our review of Aldi’s new £23 heated blanket

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