Handy tips to tackle your energy issues:
Do you have problems with damp and mould in your home?
Watch this video, produced in partnership with Plymouth City Council, on how to prevent it and what to do if it becomes a problem…
Click here to watch the video in Pashtu or Arabic.
A well-insulated home is one of the most effective ways to save money and energy. Click here for further information about different types of insulation, how we have helped Plymouth residents in the past and what grants are available at the moment.
Never switched provider or tariff before? Chances are you’re paying too much. Save as much as £400 by visiting our switching page.
Half of your bill is likely to be for heating. If you can keep the heat in, you’ll lose less energy. Find out how by clicking here.
Save water, save energy
Around 20% of your energy costs are for heating water! Click here to find out how you can save money by reducing your water usage.
Don’t over-fill the kettle, boil as much water as you need – making sure the element is covered.
Avoid leaving your phone to charge overnight or leaving TV and other appliances on standby.
Switch to energy saving light bulbs or LED bulbs and make sure non-essential lights are turned off when you leave a room.
Power showers zap energy, use a timer and consider a water efficient showerhead.
Only wash full loads, wash clothes at 30°C setting and dry clothes outside to reduce energy use and condensation.
Open curtains in the day to make the most of the sun and close at dusk
Keep the oven door shut as much as possible, use lids on pans on the hob
Place where air can circulate well behind it but not next to an oven or radiator, defrost regularly and remember to close the door
Buying new appliances
Consider the energy rating and aim for an ‘A’ or better. Read the Energy Saving Trust’s useful guide to choosing home appliances.
If you’re a homeowner, installing renewable technology for your heating or electricity can lead to great savings on your bills and it helps the environment too.
Help with gas connections
Wales & West have grants to help you connect your property to mains gas. To qualify, you have to be living in an area that has been identified by the government for support or receive qualifying benefits. Find out more on their website, click here
Download our helpful fact sheets:
Download Condensation, damp & mould factsheet
Download Draught proofing factsheet
Download Heat & health factsheet
Download How your gas central heating works factsheet
Download Lighting factsheet
Download Night storage heater factsheet
Download Prepayment meter factsheet
Download Room heaters factsheet
Download Switching supplier factsheet
Download Understanding gas & electricity bills factsheet
Download What uses what factsheet
You might be eligible for special support, click on the drop down menus to find out:
The Warm Home Discount is offered by the government through energy suppliers with more than 250,000 customers. It reduces your electricity bill if you are a customer of one of the larger suppliers and are also eligible.
The Warm Home Discount is £140 and comes off your electricity bill total between October and March. Getting the discount won’t affect your Cold Weather Payment or Winter Fuel Payment. The scheme is set to run until 2020.
Who is eligible for the Warm Home Discount?
You may qualify automatically for the Warm Home Discount if on 10th July 2016 (the ‘qualifying’ day) your supplier was part of the scheme, you or your partner’s name was on the bill and you were either:
- Aged 75 or over and are receiving the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit (even if you receive Savings Credit)
- Aged 75 or under and are only getting the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit (you won’t qualify for this if you are also getting Savings Credit)
If you don’t qualify automatically you must apply. Each energy supplier has their own eligibility for the scheme – including low income, welfare benefits, age and disability. Talk to us if you need help.
How to claim the Warm Home Discount if you might qualify
If you believe you might qualify for the discount, you can fill in an application form online at your electricity supplier’s website or call them. If you need help, we can do this for you. Please note: this year schemes open around August and close when each supplier has allocated their funds, so it is best to apply as soon as they open. Unless you qualify automatically, you will need to apply for the scheme every year.
How is the Warm Home Discount received?
The money isn’t paid to you directly. A one-off discount of £140 (inclusive of VAT) is taken off your electricity bill total if you qualify for the scheme automatically or have successfully applied. In the future, if you have dual fuel, you will be able to decide if you’d like this taken off your gas account instead. If you are on a pre-payment meter, you can still qualify for the discount and your supplier will tell you how they apply it.
To find out more about the Warm Home Discount scheme, call us or contact your supplier today.
A scheme that offers extra help and services to those who are of pensionable age, suffer from long-term ill health, are registered disabled or have a hearing / visual impairment
Each energy supplier has their own Priority Services Register. Simply contact them to see how you go about becoming registered. If you have a different supplier for gas and electricity, you will have to sign up to both separately.
If you sign up for the register, you’ll receive extra services from energy suppliers that can include:
- A service that is tailored to your needs – e.g. if you are visually impaired, you can ask to have your meter readings in braille, larger type or even on an audio tape
- Moving your meter so that it is more easily accessible
- Adding controls or adaptors to make it easier to use
- A password protection scheme to offer protection from cold callers
- Sending your bills to a carer who can help you read and understand them
- Free quarterly meter readings if you tell your supplier you can’t read it yourself
- Priority reconnection if your supply is interrupted with plenty of notice if they have to stop your service for any reason
- Alternative facilities for cooking and heating if your energy supply is interrupted
- Free advice and information about the services available because of age, disability, illness or impairment
If you’d like further information about the Priority Services Register, simply contact your energy supplier to find out more.
You may get a Cold Weather Payment if you’re getting certain benefits. You’ll get a payment if the temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below for 7 consecutive days.
The scheme runs from 1 November 2015 to 31 March 2016. You’ll get a payment of £25 for each 7 day period of very cold weather between these dates.
To find out more and check your eligibility, visit the “Cold Weather Payment page”:https://www.gov.uk/cold-weather-payment on the government website.
You could get between £100 and £300 tax-free to help pay your heating bills if you were born on or before 5 January 1953. This is known as a ‘Winter Fuel Payment’.
Most payments are made automatically between November and December. You should get your money by Christmas.
You usually get a Winter Fuel Payment automatically if you get the State Pension or another social security benefit (not Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit or Universal Credit).
If you qualify but don’t get paid automatically, you’ll need to make a claim.
Any money you get won’t affect your other benefits.
Find out more on the Winter Fuel Payment page on the government website.
If you would like a free home visit from our energy team, email email@example.com or call 01752 477117.