Energy advice

Help with high energy bills

If you are struggling to pay your energy bills, please contact your energy provider as soon as possible to see what support is available to you. Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for extra help with your energy bills, such as debt repayment plans, payment breaks, emergency credit for prepayment metered customers etc.

Ofgem, the UK energy regulator’s rules mean energy providers must offer payment plans that you can afford and if you are in difficulty, you can ask for ‘emergency credit’ if you use a prepay meter and can’t top up.

If you want to know more about managing your energy bills but are struggling to get through to your supplier, Citizens Advice offer in-depth consumer support and advice.

England: Your energy supply - Citizens Advice

Scotland - Your energy supply - Citizens Advice Scotland

Switch, Fix, or Variable?

The Energy Price Cap has been reduced from October 2023, meaning that the price per unit has dropped for anyone on a standard (variable) tariff. Many Customers will still end up paying more this year as the government has not renewed the Energy Bill Support Scheme.  

Now may be a good time to look out for fixed tariff offers, however please be aware that the Energy Price Cap may go up or down and a fixed tariff can result in you paying a higher rate for your energy than the EPC. 

Check out the Should you fix energy calculator on Money Saving Expert to see if a fixed tariff is for you.   

No matter if you’re on a fixed or standard tariff, you can look at ways of reducing the amount you pay. Check if you qualify for various discounts from your energy provider such as:

• Dual fuel discount for having the same supplier for both gas and electric.
• Discount for paying by Direct Debit.
• Discount for paperless billing and managing your account online.

Smart Meters

Smart meters can help save money on your energy bills by providing regular meter readings to your supplier meaning you don’t have to, so you don’t get any inflated estimated bills. 

With an in-home display you can easily see how much you’re spending to help with budgeting. Smart Meters are available for free from your energy supplier. If you’d like to know more about smart meters, please get in touch with one of our coordinators.

There are useful resources on the Ofgem website if you want more information or want to know how to request a smart meter visit the Ofgem website. We also have a useful guide on how to use a smart meter in your home. 

Saving Energy 

Saving energy is a great way to help save money and the environment. We all use energy to power our lives – from taking a hot shower in the morning to charging our mobile phones in the evening. Do you want to save energy but are not sure where to start? Here are some of our top tips to help you save money on your energy bills and could reduce your carbon footprint.

Tweak the heat
Turning your thermostat down by as little as one degree can help you reduce your energy bill and the amount of carbon dioxide produced. This is an easy saving and you won't be able to feel the temperature difference.  If you want to take things a bit further, you can lower the temperature even more and layer-up with some jumpers and woolly socks. We have a helpful guide on how to use winter warmers safely this winter which you can read and find some useful tips. 

Let the light in
Turn off lights in the day – open your curtains or blinds first thing in the morning and make the most of the natural daylight. This can help to reduce your energy consumption. During the winter months, it can be tempting to switch on a light during the day. If you do need to switch the light on, switch to an LED energy saver, these bulbs can help reduce your energy bill and your home’s carbon impact. Don’t forget, if you leave a room then get into the habit of switching the lights off!   

Load it up
If you can, try not to start your washing machine or dishwasher if it’s only half full. Starting a wash with a half-empty load makes these appliances less energy efficient, if you can wait until you have enough for a full load, you’ll be saving water and energy. Also avoid using tumble dryers when you can – this is one of the most expensive appliances to use in your home.

Unplug
A good energy-saving habit is to turn off unused appliances at the socket when not in use. Did you know unplugging laptop and phone chargers while we’re not using them can have a impact on bills and usage? Even if it’s not connected to your phone or laptop, a charger can still use energy, so it’s always a good idea to unplug them or switch off at the mains.

Standby savers
Did you know many of our appliances such as TVs consume up to 90% of their normal energy in standby mode? Buying energy-saving plugs or standby savers cut the power to your appliances by recognising when they have entered standby mode or with the flick of a remote control. This can help you save energy and money!

Quick showers
Having quicker showers reduce the amount of energy and water you use. Aim to take shorter showers each day and it will help you reduce your energy bills and water usage.

Get your boiler serviced regularly
A well-maintained boiler will heat your home efficiently and result in less chances of your boiler breaking down. Please make sure your boiler is regularly serviced – we will write to you each year to carry out a gas service on your boiler, if you have an overdue service please contact us. When we come to do a gas service, we can also offer advice on boiler settings to help you reduce wasting energy.