Last week was Big Energy Saving Week which saw a number of agencies, including Watford’s Citizens Advice Bureau, come together and try and help people cut their fuel bills.
There are things that we can do to ensure we are getting the best price on our fuel bills, and this includes understanding efficiency issues and looking at reducing consumption where possible, looking into switching provider and seeing if better deals are out there, or even considering community energy projects which can reap big savings.
There are also of course a number of things that we can do as a Government too in order to help with fuel bills. Last week during Big Energy Saving Week a number of new measures were announced which included:
· Launching the new Community Energy Strategy
· Investing a further £10m in an Urban Community Energy Fund
· £1m further funding for the Big Energy Saving Network to fund those helping vulnerable consumers to reduce their energy bills
· A community energy saving competition was launched, and a ‘one stop shop’ information resource for people interested in community energy projects is also being backed
These measures of course need to complement investment in energy for the long term, to ensure that we have domestic supply for the future and we aren’t reliant on imports which can mean a higher and more volatile cost.
There are also other important changes in the industry, for example we have taken action through law to ensure that suppliers are offering 4 main deals. This makes it easier to understand the cost and potential savings, and stops the ‘blizzard pricing’ tactics of old which meant people could unknowingly be paying too much. The number of customers using independent suppliers has doubled, and efficiency has significantly improved thanks to initiatives such as the Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation.
Importantly findings have suggested that pensioners, or those who do not pay by direct debit, are more likely to be paying more for their energy. The average customer who pays by direct debit pays £114 less than those who don’t. The Government is looking at this as a wider issue, but if you have a relative, friend or neighbour, it is worth making them aware of this. For those who do not wish to go online and see what deals are available, uSwitch offer a paper service and details are available on their website.
If you are keen to look at what you can do to lower your energy bills, please look at the citizens advice website which has some useful tips and advice.