Millions of people could be struggling to pay the heating bills this winter, but one energy expert has some advice on saving hundreds of pounds which could warm the cockles of many hearts.

Many pensioners are especially worried about keeping the home fires burning after Labour's Chancellor Rachel Reeves axed the Winter Fuel Payments to help plug a claimed "£22 billion black hole" in the country's coffers.

Cold weather is likely to have started biting by the time Ms Reeves reveals potential further financial pain in the Autumn Budget on October 30.

Energy regulator Ofgem has also increased the energy price cap to an average of £1,717 a year for a typical dual-fuel, gas, and electric, household paying by direct debit.

This works out as an average increase of 10 percent per household, or £149 per year if the cap doesn't go back down in January.

However, specialist Jack Coles, from MyBuilder.com, has urged struggling Brits to make one cheap purchase to potentially save hundreds on their heating bills in the long run.

The energy expert advises investing in a water cylinder jacket, a form of insulation that helps trap the heat inside your boiler's water cylinder and prevent wastage.

He said: "Making sure you have a hot water cylinder jacket will help you save money on your bills.

"Without insulation your cylinder is effectively a huge radiator, dispersing the heat from within and using energy to keep reheating it. Many homes across the UK have uninsulated hot water tanks which allow heat to escape."

The Mirror reports that installing a jacket can actually reduce heat loss by "over 75 per cent" and Mr Coles said that based on recent energy prices, this works out at a saving of up to £200 every single year, depending on the size of your home and the location of your water cylinder.

He added: "Even if you already have a hot water cylinder jacket, you may want to check it is still in good working order and the correct thickness.

"If it's not, you should consider replacing it if it's less than 75mm thick or doesn't completely cover the tank all the way around."

Water cylinder jackets can be bought from a slew of hardware stores and online retailers such as Toolstation and Screwfix for as little as £20 depending on the thickness of material used. They should last for several years before needing to be replaced.