Coping With Your Energy Bills: Saving Energy And Saving Money

The only real topic of conversation this autumn, with energy costs rising steeply again, is how to cope with our energy bills. The changing of the seasons will mean colder nights and then colder days. Energy use will rise. Bills will rise. Debts will rise. Is there nothing that can be done to offset this?

Below are key questions you need to answer to save energy this autumn and winter alongside references to expert energy advice organisations you can contact for help if you need someone to talk to.

Saving money on your energy bills – not a hopeless task?

With energy prices soaring, and a larger cost-of-living crisis intensifying, it is easy to think little can be done at the household level to save energy, increase energy efficiency and reduce bills. We don’t believe this is true. In our view, most households have only just begun to look at how they use energy and how the building they occupy can be made more energy efficient.

Rather than provide an unending list of tiny tips to save energy, below is a list of key questions you need to answer if you are to keep your energy bills down this winter while staying warm:

1. Is your property insulated as much as it can be – is it draught-proofed? Do you know where around the house most energy is lost?
2. Can you switch to a more efficient heating system – will the long-term benefits outweigh the short-term costs? Do you know how to use your existing heating system most efficiently?
3. Do you know which domestic appliances use the most energy and which ones waste the most energy – can you manage their use more efficiently?
4. What personal behaviours can you change or adjust to use less energy – eg switching off appliances on standby, switching from baths to showers and so on – or to use energy more efficiently?
5. Do you know what financial help, or free expert energy advice help, is out there for you? Do you know where to get the answers to the questions above?

Who can help you get the support you need?

There are many organisations that provide expert advice on energy saving and energy efficiency; and can answer the questions above. There are many others that provide expert advice on dealing with energy bills and debts.

• Act on Energy cover Coventry and Warwickshire and provide a free telephone advice line for all energy use matters on 0800 988 2881. They can also be found online at actonenergy.org.uk/.
• National Energy Action (NEA), a national charity with local branches (for example, in Coventry), also provides a free telephone support service, on 0800 304 7159, providing advice to householders on their energy bills and keeping warm in their home. They can also be found online at www.nea.org.uk/get-help/wash-advice/?parent=get-help.
• Finally, Citizens Advice provides advice on energy issues through its telephone support service (on 0808 223 1133), via an online form and through its website; at www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/get-energy-advice/. This site provides help for those struggling with energy bills and energy debts as well as advice on how to save energy.

And don’t forget, your first port of call should always be your energy supplier.

It is more important than ever that struggling households keep warm this winter. We all know the health consequences for ourselves and our children of a cold home. If you are struggling with your energy bills bite the bullet and ask for help.

Our thanks to Coventry Citizens Advice (CCA) for submitting this article to us. For more information, contact your local CA offices or visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk.