1. Check out tariffs
Price comparison Web sites such as www.theenergyshop.com look at the different providers to calculate how much you could save by switching to a different supplier. You can also get a list of the supply companies operating in your area, together with the prices they charge, from Energywatch, the gas and electricity watchdog, by calling 0845 906 0708.
2. Are you entitled to benefits?
Billions of pounds' worth of benefits go unclaimed every year and fuel-poor households could be entitled to significant rebates. If you are aged 60 or over, you can claim a tax-free Winter Fuel Payment of 250 pounds or more, which should be paid in automatically if you receive a State Pension. If you are over 60 and not receiving the payment, call the government's Winter Fuel Payment helpline on 08459 151 515.
3. Could you sign up for social tariffs?
Many energy suppliers have begun to finance social tariffs, which offer fuel discounts of up to 300 pounds a year to the elderly, the disabled, families with young children and those on income support. To find out more, call your energy supplier and ask if you could benefit.
4. Get free advice
Ron Cambell of National Energy Action advises all customers to freephone 0800 512 012 to speak to their local Energy Efficiency Advice centre. These centres also maintain complete listings of all grants and sources of benefit aid and home improvement available in your local area.
5. Get a grant to improve the energy efficiency of your home
An estimated 66 percent of home heat is lost through poorly insulated roofs and walls, and fixing the problem could represent a sizeable saving on your energy bills. Government grants of up to 4,000 pounds are available to help cover the cost through the "Warmfront" scheme. Grants cover loft and cavity wall insulation, draft prevention, repairs of faulty boilers and assessment of your home's energy status. To check your eligibility, freephone 0800 316 6011.
6. Get energy-efficient light bulbs
Your choice of light bulb can make even more of a difference to your final bill than turning off the lights when you leave a room. Energy-efficient light bulbs last up to 10 times longer and use a fraction of the power required by ordinary bulbs. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that each energy-efficient light bulb saves the average household 7 pounds a year in electricity bills.
7. Mind the radiators
Avoid putting large items of furniture in front of radiators as they block heat flow. If you dry your clothes indoors, hang them over drying racks rather than dampening the heating power of your radiators with soggy laundry. You can also wrap tinfoil around pieces of cardboard and slot them behind your radiators to reflect heat back into the room.
8. Curtain call
Thicker curtains retain more heat, especially if they're cut to fit your windows properly, resting just below the bottom of the pane. Heat can be funnelled away under curtains that are too long, especially if the radiators are located underneath the windows in a room. Cheap net curtains provide an extra layer of insulation and help to retain heat whilst letting natural light into a room.
9. Turn off your computer and other electrical appliances. Huge amounts of energy are wasted every day by power-hungry laptops and desktops being left switched on whilst not in use. Computer monitors in screen-save mode reduce energy consumption by only a few watts. Up to 75 percent of energy used to power home electronics is used when these devices are "switched off", costing British households an estimated 800 million a year in fuel bills. Set your computer to hibernate when you aren't using it, and take an extra 30 seconds to switch it off properly at the end of the day. Dimming the monitor by just a few settings of brightness can also save energy.
10. Insulate your loft
Many houses have lofts that are not insulated at all, meaning that a lot of heat escapes through the roof. Figures from the Energy Savings Trust suggest that by adding 250 mm loft insulation where none was present could save 80-100 pounds annually on your energy bills.
(Sources: Energywatch, Winter Fuel Payment Helpline, National Energy Action, Energy Saving Trust)
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Friday, 22 August 2008
Tuesday, 19 August 2008
Beginner's Guide: Cutting Household Bills
10 Ways To Cut Your Water Bill
1. How Are You Billed? The traditional way is to receive a yearly bill based on your home’s old rateable value (a rough estimate of how much your house could be rented out for), regardless of how much water you use.
But now you can opt to have a water meter fitted to calculate your actual usage instead.
2. Shower: A daily bath uses 80 litres of water, while a shower uses around 35 to 40. Over a year, by showering, a couple could save more than £65.
3. Water Saving Devices: The Hippo, or similar devices that displace water in your cistern, are not terribly expensive, and could save you up to three litres each time you flush. Any submerged object, such as a few handfuls of marbles, will achieve the same effect.
Water-saving showerheads restrict the amount of water that comes through – though it may take longer to wash. As an alternative spend less time in the shower. More on water saving devices at Save Water, Save Money .
4. Fill Up: Make sure dishwashers and washing machines have a full load before you turn them on.
5. Fix Drips: A dripping tap could waste as much as 90 litres of water a week. Have it fixed.
6. Turn Off The Tap: When you’re brushing your teeth or shaving, fill the basin rather than letting the tap run.
7. Reuse Water: Instead of chucking water down the drain reuse it - water from a cooking pot, for example, can be reused for watering plants.
8. In The Garden: Water butts are a great way to harvest water for use in the garden.
9. The Lawn: Reduce the frequency with which you mow your lawn. Not only will it save your electricity (or your back!) but a longer lawn needs less watering than closely cropped turf.
10. The Plants: And soaking your plants once a week, rather than watering daily will save your money and keep your plants strong as their roots probe more deeply for the water.
10 Ways To Cut Your Fuel Bills
1. Switch Now? Martin Lewis, the guru behind Money Saving Expert, advises us to wait until all providers have increased their prices. If you switch now you may find yourself paying even more when your new supplier pumps up their prices.
2. Have A Free Home Energy Check: Complete the free home energy check at Energy Saving Trust and you'll receive a report telling you how you can save up to £270 a year on your household energy bills.
3. How You Pay: By switching to a monthly direct debit you could cut your bills by around ten per cent. And by moving to an internet-based account your savings could be even greater. Don’t pay an estimated bill - always read the meter. You don’t want to hand over more cash than you need to, or end up with a big bill at the end of the year either.
4. Cheaper Tariffs? Grants? If you’re struggling financially find out if your company has a cheaper tariff designed to help people on a low income. Check with the Energy Saving Trust to see if you're eligible for grants and offers.
5. Energy Monitor: A home energy monitor will record your electricity consumption and convert it into a monetary value, based on the cost price of your electricity, so you can see how much all those cups of tea really cost you.
Although last year we were told that the Government would be giving us all a monitor, free of charge, we’re still waiting.
6. Insulate: Cavity wall insulation is estimated to reduce heat loss and thus save on heating bills by around £100-£120 a year. At a cost of around £500 to fit, the insulation could pay for itself in as little as four years.
Loft insulation (to a depth of 270mm) is another big carbon cutter as it seriously reduces the loss of rising heat. The estimated cost of £300 could be well worth it, with heating bill savings of around £110 a year.
7. New Boiler: A modern condensing boiler uses up to 40 per cent less energy. Despite the £500 price tag, the savings could be as much as £240 a year, meaning you could've covered the cost in just over two years.
8. Turn It Down: If you turn your thermostat down by just 1°C, you could cut your heating bills by up to ten per cent, saving you around £50 a year.
9. Switch Off: Don’t leave your electrical appliances on standby. Items left on standby use up to 85 per cent of the energy they would use if fully switched on.
10. Lightbulbs: Energy saving light bulbs could save around £65 during each bulb's lifespan, thanks to their low power output and their longevity.
Nikki Sheehan
continue
1. How Are You Billed? The traditional way is to receive a yearly bill based on your home’s old rateable value (a rough estimate of how much your house could be rented out for), regardless of how much water you use.
But now you can opt to have a water meter fitted to calculate your actual usage instead.
2. Shower: A daily bath uses 80 litres of water, while a shower uses around 35 to 40. Over a year, by showering, a couple could save more than £65.
3. Water Saving Devices: The Hippo, or similar devices that displace water in your cistern, are not terribly expensive, and could save you up to three litres each time you flush. Any submerged object, such as a few handfuls of marbles, will achieve the same effect.
Water-saving showerheads restrict the amount of water that comes through – though it may take longer to wash. As an alternative spend less time in the shower. More on water saving devices at Save Water, Save Money .
4. Fill Up: Make sure dishwashers and washing machines have a full load before you turn them on.
5. Fix Drips: A dripping tap could waste as much as 90 litres of water a week. Have it fixed.
6. Turn Off The Tap: When you’re brushing your teeth or shaving, fill the basin rather than letting the tap run.
7. Reuse Water: Instead of chucking water down the drain reuse it - water from a cooking pot, for example, can be reused for watering plants.
8. In The Garden: Water butts are a great way to harvest water for use in the garden.
9. The Lawn: Reduce the frequency with which you mow your lawn. Not only will it save your electricity (or your back!) but a longer lawn needs less watering than closely cropped turf.
10. The Plants: And soaking your plants once a week, rather than watering daily will save your money and keep your plants strong as their roots probe more deeply for the water.
10 Ways To Cut Your Fuel Bills
1. Switch Now? Martin Lewis, the guru behind Money Saving Expert, advises us to wait until all providers have increased their prices. If you switch now you may find yourself paying even more when your new supplier pumps up their prices.
2. Have A Free Home Energy Check: Complete the free home energy check at Energy Saving Trust and you'll receive a report telling you how you can save up to £270 a year on your household energy bills.
3. How You Pay: By switching to a monthly direct debit you could cut your bills by around ten per cent. And by moving to an internet-based account your savings could be even greater. Don’t pay an estimated bill - always read the meter. You don’t want to hand over more cash than you need to, or end up with a big bill at the end of the year either.
4. Cheaper Tariffs? Grants? If you’re struggling financially find out if your company has a cheaper tariff designed to help people on a low income. Check with the Energy Saving Trust to see if you're eligible for grants and offers.
5. Energy Monitor: A home energy monitor will record your electricity consumption and convert it into a monetary value, based on the cost price of your electricity, so you can see how much all those cups of tea really cost you.
Although last year we were told that the Government would be giving us all a monitor, free of charge, we’re still waiting.
6. Insulate: Cavity wall insulation is estimated to reduce heat loss and thus save on heating bills by around £100-£120 a year. At a cost of around £500 to fit, the insulation could pay for itself in as little as four years.
Loft insulation (to a depth of 270mm) is another big carbon cutter as it seriously reduces the loss of rising heat. The estimated cost of £300 could be well worth it, with heating bill savings of around £110 a year.
7. New Boiler: A modern condensing boiler uses up to 40 per cent less energy. Despite the £500 price tag, the savings could be as much as £240 a year, meaning you could've covered the cost in just over two years.
8. Turn It Down: If you turn your thermostat down by just 1°C, you could cut your heating bills by up to ten per cent, saving you around £50 a year.
9. Switch Off: Don’t leave your electrical appliances on standby. Items left on standby use up to 85 per cent of the energy they would use if fully switched on.
10. Lightbulbs: Energy saving light bulbs could save around £65 during each bulb's lifespan, thanks to their low power output and their longevity.
Nikki Sheehan
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Sunday, 17 August 2008
Cut Your Energy Bills By 75%?
There are two types of people in this world, those who turn off the lights when they leave the room, and those who leave them blazing away.
I'm a switcher-offer, but my girlfriend is a leaver-oner. Last week, she accused me of following her around the house, flicking off the lights behind her. I confessed. With the cost of energy soaring, I said in my defence, we can't afford to squander electricity.
And with the average household now spending more than £1,200 a year on home energy bills, you probably can't afford it either.
High energy
Now we come to the big money. If you haven't properly insulated your walls, roof, loft, water tank, pipe and floor, the work could save you on average £501 a year.
Installing a brand new heating system could save up to £155, while double glazing and draught proofing your house could save £150.
That makes a total saving of £972.70. Sounds wonderful doesn’t it… but alert readers will have noticed there is a catch.
Installing double glazing, buying a whole new heating system and replacing all your white goods such as dishwashers will set you back thousands, or even tens of thousands of pounds. It could be years before you see a return from that outlay.
So we can take those figures with a pinch of salt. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't do your bit. Don't you know there's a credit crunch on? Not to mention a warming planet. Plus, as long as you don’t move house before you break even, making these improvements should eventually prove cost-effective.
Save the planet
Some of you might be able to get a Government grant for the work. Pensioners over 60 who receive state help such as pension credit, council tax and housing benefit can claim up to £2,700 in energy-saving grants under the Government's Warm Front scheme, called Warm Deal in Scotland and the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme in Wales.
Many local authorities also award grants to local residents to help them cut their energy usage. The Energy Saving Trust website helps you search for details of grants and awards. It also gives you plenty of advice on cutting back on energy use.
continue
I'm a switcher-offer, but my girlfriend is a leaver-oner. Last week, she accused me of following her around the house, flicking off the lights behind her. I confessed. With the cost of energy soaring, I said in my defence, we can't afford to squander electricity.
And with the average household now spending more than £1,200 a year on home energy bills, you probably can't afford it either.
High energy
Now we come to the big money. If you haven't properly insulated your walls, roof, loft, water tank, pipe and floor, the work could save you on average £501 a year.
Installing a brand new heating system could save up to £155, while double glazing and draught proofing your house could save £150.
That makes a total saving of £972.70. Sounds wonderful doesn’t it… but alert readers will have noticed there is a catch.
Installing double glazing, buying a whole new heating system and replacing all your white goods such as dishwashers will set you back thousands, or even tens of thousands of pounds. It could be years before you see a return from that outlay.
So we can take those figures with a pinch of salt. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't do your bit. Don't you know there's a credit crunch on? Not to mention a warming planet. Plus, as long as you don’t move house before you break even, making these improvements should eventually prove cost-effective.
Save the planet
Some of you might be able to get a Government grant for the work. Pensioners over 60 who receive state help such as pension credit, council tax and housing benefit can claim up to £2,700 in energy-saving grants under the Government's Warm Front scheme, called Warm Deal in Scotland and the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme in Wales.
Many local authorities also award grants to local residents to help them cut their energy usage. The Energy Saving Trust website helps you search for details of grants and awards. It also gives you plenty of advice on cutting back on energy use.
continue
Friday, 8 August 2008
'Pickpocket' foreign fuel giants 'ripping off' Britons to keep energy bills down in Europe
Foreign energy firms have been accused of 'picking the pockets' of 11 million British customers while capping price rises in their home countries.
French-owned EDF has announced a 22 per cent rise in gas bills and 17 per cent on electricity for its 5.5million UK users.
At the same time, it has secretly raised gas prices for some of its most vulnerable customers by as much as 75 per cent.
The increases are in stark contrast to the situation in France.
EDF has been told by the government there to cap its increases on electricity to just 2 per cent and gas to 5 per cent.
There are fears the company, which is part-owned by the French government, is looking to protect its profits by imposing punishing increases on UK families.
The price cap in France will not stop EDF imposing big rises in the cost of electricity it sells to Britain via a cable under the Channel.
The increases were strongly criticised yesterday by Ed Mayo, chief of the National Consumer Council.
'Closed and protectionist European energy markets end up picking the pockets of consumers in this country,' he said.
He suggested Britain should consider introducing French-style price caps. 'If the French are capping prices, that is something we should be looking at. We should learn from the French,' he said.
'My concerns are for people on fixed income, such as pensioners, who will be switching off their electricity and heating this winter. That will lead to more illness and disease.'
continue
French-owned EDF has announced a 22 per cent rise in gas bills and 17 per cent on electricity for its 5.5million UK users.
At the same time, it has secretly raised gas prices for some of its most vulnerable customers by as much as 75 per cent.
The increases are in stark contrast to the situation in France.
EDF has been told by the government there to cap its increases on electricity to just 2 per cent and gas to 5 per cent.
There are fears the company, which is part-owned by the French government, is looking to protect its profits by imposing punishing increases on UK families.
The price cap in France will not stop EDF imposing big rises in the cost of electricity it sells to Britain via a cable under the Channel.
The increases were strongly criticised yesterday by Ed Mayo, chief of the National Consumer Council.
'Closed and protectionist European energy markets end up picking the pockets of consumers in this country,' he said.
He suggested Britain should consider introducing French-style price caps. 'If the French are capping prices, that is something we should be looking at. We should learn from the French,' he said.
'My concerns are for people on fixed income, such as pensioners, who will be switching off their electricity and heating this winter. That will lead to more illness and disease.'
continue
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