State pensioners urged to use packets of crisps to replace £300 Winter Fuel Payment

It sounds absurd, but one heating expert is urging state pensioners to use packets of crisps to help replace the loss of their £200 to £300 Winter Fuel Payments this winter.

With the payment of up to £300 being changed to means-tested this winter, many millions of who used to get the money automatically will now have to apply for pension credit or lose the money entirely.

As a result, many are looking for ways they can cut the costs of their energy bills to claw some of the money back.

And one heating expert has put forward a tip which could slash your energy bills this winter in the most unusual way: by using crisp packets.

By using an empty crisp packet, you could reduce your costs this winter at no extra cost, assuming you already have some crisps at home in the cupboard.

Mark McShane, a heating expert at , says this 'simple yet effective' method will boost your radiator's efficiency, meaning that you don't need to run it as long, costing you less in heating bills.

He said: "By placing a reflective material, such as an empty crisp packet, behind your radiators, you can bounce the heat back into your room instead of letting it escape through the walls. It's an easy, cost-effective way to make the most of your heating."

To use this method, simply cut and clean an empty crisp packet, then attach it to the wall behind your radiator using double-sided tape. The reflective surface helps direct more heat back into the room, allowing you to feel warmer without increasing your energy usage.

This is the same method as the 'foil trick', but is even cheaper than using foil because you can use empty packets you already had at home, saving you even more money.

Another tip involves the oven door.

He added: "Leaving your oven door open after cooking allows the residual heat to warm your kitchen, and using bubble wrap on windows can serve as an insulator, reducing heat loss."