British Gas issues safety advice as Christmas lights are switched on across the country

As the most wonderful time of the year has returned, millions of Brits across the country are dusting off their decorations and preparing to light up the nation with festive spirit.

From twinkly fairy lights to illuminated reindeers and projector snowflakes, there are plenty of ways to add a little sparkle to your home, but British Gas is advising households to follow these simple tips to keep their homes safe and energy efficient.

Each year, the energy supplier provides safety advice on electrical issues – which can be especially common during the festive season.

Andy Kitson, Electrical Appliance Engineer at British Gas, said: “Nothing says Christmas like an impressive light display, but it’s important to follow a few easy safety steps to protect your home and manage energy usage.

“Whether it’s checking the safety mark on your string lights or switching to a smart plug to reduce energy consumption, there’s some handy hacks that allow households to join in the fun while making sure they’re saving money and energy.

“And if you need further advice and support this Christmas, we have a dedicated team of over 600 electrical appliance engineers across the country.”

Andy also shared five top tips for households when decorating their homes for Christmas:

1. Check them over before you switch them on: One of the most important safety tips when it comes to Christmas lights is checking for any damage before turning them on at the plug to avoid any nasty electric shocks or power trips. Keep an eye out for frayed cables, cracked bulbs, damaged plugs, or loose connections and replace any sets where an issue is found.

2. Shine bright, but not all night: While Christmas lights spread lots of festive cheer, keeping them on during the night when no one is awake to enjoy them wastes money and energy. To help manage your light display, consider switching to a smart plug like those available from Hive to allow you to keep tabs on how much energy your decorations are using and switch them off from anywhere via a handy app.

3. Out with the old, in with the new: For maximum efficiency, make sure to swap older, incandescent Christmas lights for modern, LED versions which use up to 80% less energy. Prioritise switching sets you use most frequently first, for example Christmas tree lights and any on the front of your house.

4. Safety first, always: If you’re in the market for new lights or replacing any that might be broken, make sure you shop with reputable retailers and that all lights you purchase comply with UK safety standards. You’ll know this if there’s a UKCA and CE mark on the packaging.

5. Avoid daisy chains: To conserve energy and pennies, avoid overloading sockets and extension leads and don’t daisy-chain lots of high-wattage sets onto one single extension. Instead, use a single four-way with surge protection.