Figures published earlier this week by the Citizens Advice Bureau showed a big increase in the number of people requesting help and advice about their growing energy bills. They have witnessed a 46% increase in the number of people seeking advice compared to the same period last year.

Fuel poverty – a term which describes a situation where 10% or more of household income is spent on energy bills – is also on the increase. Statistics from the Department for Energy and Climate Change found that one in four households are now trapped in fuel poverty. This means 6.6 million families, or a three-fold increase compared to five years ago.

But what can you do to reduce your energy bills and stay out of fuel poverty? As the so-called ‘heating season’ draws in, many people in the UK will be looking for ways to keep warm without breaking the bank.

Here are some simple ways to save money on your energy bills.

1 – Pay by Direct Debit

Paying your energy bills by Direct Debit can lead to cost savings as it entitles you to a discount on the standard energy tariff. The gas and electricity watchdog Energywatch claim people can save an average of £150 a year by using Direct Debit to pay their bills.

You can set up a Direct Debit on a fixed monthly amount, fixed quarterly amount or a variable amount which pays your actual energy bill at the end of a specified period.

The first two options put you in control of the payments leaving your bank account but you might still run up a debit or credit with your energy supplier over time. Variable payments will ensure your actual bill is paid off in full, but the amount will vary and is likely to be higher in the winter when energy use is greater.

The Direct Debit option is not for everyone, but if you do use it then keep a close eye on the difference between the payments you are making and your actual bill. It is better to control this over the shorter term rather than allow a substantial debt to build up (or a substantial credit on which you will not be receiving any interest).

The different energy suppliers all have different policies when it comes to refunding overpaid bills. There is a useful guide to these policies here.

2 – Switch supplier

If you have been with the same gas and electricity supplier for some time, you might be able to reduce your bills by shopping around and switching supplier.

Even with the plethora of online comparison sites, this is rarely an easy task. The biggest challenge is comparing like with like. With hundreds of different deals available, the potential price savings on offer can be misleading unless you are comparing the correct tariff.

When using an online comparison tool, make sure you look for a website which has been accredited by the Consumer Focus Confidence Code. This is a voluntary code of practice for companies providing domestic gas and electricity price comparison services over the internet. Thirteen different websites are currently covered under this scheme, including a number of household names.

3 – Insulate your home

Around half of heat loss in the typical house is through the walls and loft. This means that home insulation, where possible, can result in substantial long-term savings.

Because a third of heat loss is through the walls, this is usually a good place to start. Depending on the build structure of your property, either cavity wall insulation or external wall insulation could be possible. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that savings of around £115 are achievable through cavity wall insulation, with a payback period of around two years on the £250 typical cost.

Depending on the size of your property, loft insulation can be a cheaper measure than wall insulation, with a typical annual energy bill saving of around £150 on a DIY cost of around £200.

The combination of the two measures can offset some of the recent increases in energy prices, giving you a home which is easier to heat and keep warm.

4 – Look for help

Depending on your financial situation, several assistance schemes are available which aim to improve the efficiency of your heating system, reduce heat loss in your house and cut down your energy bills.

The Government funded Warm Front Scheme (which operates in England), delivered by EAGA, provides grants of up to £3,500 (or £6,000 where oil, low carbon or renewable technologies are recommended). These grants are used to provide a package of insulation and/or heating measures.

To qualify for the Warm Front Scheme, you need to either be over 60, or have a child under 16, or be pregnant, and be in receipt of certain state income-related benefits. Alternatively, other householders in receipt of certain income-related and disability benefits are eligible. There is more information on eligibility for Warm Front here.

In some areas of the UK there are Affordable Warmth Groups who offer free advice on finding alternative energy related grants. You should ring your local council to find out if there is an Affordable Warmth Group in your area.

National Energy Action is responsible for overseeing and administering the Warm Zone Scheme. These schemes were established in certain areas to help households who cannot afford enough warmth for health and comfort. More on these here.

In Scotland, the Energy Assistance Package was introduced in April 2009 with the aims of maximising incomes, reducing fuel bills and improving the energy efficiency of homes. To find out more, call the Energy Savings Trust on 0800 512 012.

In Wales, there is the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES) which offers grants for new or improved central heating systems, loft insulation, draught proofing or other insulation measures up to the value of £2,000. Call 0800 316 2815 to find out more.

With all of these support schemes, there can be lengthy waiting lists, particularly at this time of the year where demand for new heating systems is greater. It makes sense to plan ahead and find out if any of these options might be available to you before you need them. Waiting until your boiler breaks down at the start of the winter is not a good strategy if you hope to make use of an energy assistance scheme.

5 – Go alternative

New technologies are starting to offer alternative energy options to the traditional gas and electricity suppliers. The capital outlay associated with these alternative options is still high in many cases, but where they come with environmental advantages you might be able to get subsidies to reduce the cost.

One example of innovative technology which can reduce heating bills over the longer term is ground source heat pumps. These enable you to heat your home with pipes buried in the garden which extract heat from the ground. In some cases this simply pre-heats water which goes into an existing central heating system, so reduces rather than replaces the need for a boiler.

You might also consider wind turbines, solar water heating, solar electricity, air source heat pumps, wood fuelled (biomass) heating or even hydroelectricity.

We expect the cost associated with new energy technologies to decrease in the future as the demand for these improves. Also, as the cost of conventional energy sources increases, and the Government comes under pressure to reduce carbon emissions, we are likely to see further subsidies.

Martin Bamford is site editor of BrilliantWithMoney and a Chartered Financial Planner at Informed Choice. You can follow BrilliantWithMoney on Twitter @brilliantmoney and Martin @martinbamford.