As people struggle with sky-high energy bills, Citizens Advice Sherwood and Newark has teamed up with Energy Saving Trust to provide the following advice for making small savings.*
- Turning appliances off standby could save you £65.00 a year
- Draught proofing windows, doors and blocking cracks around your home could save you up to £125.00 a year
- Turning off lights when leaving a room could save you £25.00 a year
- Washing clothes at 30 degrees and doing one less load a week could save you around £34.00 a year
- Ditch the tumble dryer. Drying clothes on racks in a well-ventilated room or outside in warmer weather could save you £70.00 a year
- Reducing shower times to four minutes can save you £95.00 a year
These lifestyle changes still might not cover the hole in household budgets, so check you’re getting all the support you’re entitled to. This could include:
- Energy Bills Support Scheme — a £400 discount given to every household.
- Warm Home Discount — a £150 discount if you get certain benefits
- Fuel vouchers — if you can’t afford to top up your prepayment meter
- Cold weather payments — if you get certain benefits and the weather is extremely cold
- Grants from your energy supplier — to help pay off debts you owe
For more information or advice, contact Citizens Advice Sherwood and Newark:
- Ollerton office: Monday and Wednesday, 9.30am to 2.30pm -–5 Forest Court, NG22 9PL
- Phone: 01623 861769 (you may be offered a call-back)
- Adviceline: 0800 144 88 48 (RelayUK: 18001 0800 144 8884) available Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm
- Chat online: www.citizensadvice.org.uk/contact-us
*England, Scotland and Wales savings are for a typical three-bedroom, gas-heated home in Great Britain, based on Energy Price Guarantee October 2022. Water savings are based on average occupancy.