12 February 2012
This information applies to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
In this information, we tell you about the different ways you may be able to save money on your fuel costs. These include:
You may be able to reduce your fuel bills by choosing a payment method which offers a discount, by efficient use of gas and electricity or by insulating your home.
Some fuel suppliers offer a discount to customers who pay their bills by direct debit, standing order, a fixed payment budget scheme or a flexible payments scheme. You should check carefully the terms of the payment schemes your fuel supplier offers.
If you pay by direct debit, you should read your meter regularly to make sure you are only paying for the energy you have used. This will enable your supplier to accurately set how much your direct debit payment should be. If anything happens to change the amount of gas or electricity you use, let your supplier know. At some points, your account may be in credit, but remember that any credit built up over the summer will be used to pay for higher energy use in the winter. If you build up a lot of credit you may want to ask your supplier for a refund. Each supplier has their own rules about when they will offer a refund to direct debit customers.
Some electricity suppliers offer the option of not paying a standing charge, but paying a slightly higher rate for the electricity used instead. This could be a cheaper option for you, but you would need to work this out from your bills.
For more information about the different methods of payment available for paying fuel bills, see Gas supply and Electricity supply.
If you are aged 60 or over, or live with someone aged 60 or over, you may be able to get a Winter Fuel Payment to help with fuel costs over the winter.
If you are getting certain benefits, you may be able to get a Cold weather payment when the weather reaches a certain temperature.
All fuel suppliers must have a code of practice on using gas and electricity efficiently. If you ask for it, the supplier must also provide, on request, free information and advice on:-
You can also:
The Warm Home Discount Scheme will give you an automatic £120 rebate on your electricity bill for the winter of 2011/12 and the next three winters if you qualify under the Scheme.
You will qualify for the rebate if you only get the guarantee credit of Pension Credit on the qualifying date, which is 11 September 2011. You will not qualify if you get the savings credit of Pension Credit.
All electricity suppliers with more than 250,000 domestic customers must join the Warm Home Discount Scheme. Smaller suppliers can also join the scheme if they want to.
The Department for Work and Pensions will try to make sure you get this discount automatically, but you may be missed out and will have to ask for the discount from your electricity supplier.
Some electricity customers who don't get the guarantee part of Pension Credit may also get the discount, but it will be up to your supplier to decide who qualifies. This group of people is likely to be customers who are getting other benefits.
Over the next few years, customers getting a social tariff from their energy company will gradually be transferred to the Warm Home Discount Scheme. Social tariffs are schemes run by individual companies to give reduced rates to low income and vulnerable customers. However, some customers who now qualify for a social tariff may not qualify for help under the Warm Home Discount Scheme. There will also be some customers who find that the discount under the new scheme is less than the social tariff discount they are getting now. Some additional help might be available to make up for this shortfall.
In England, Wales and Scotland, you may be able to reduce your fuel costs by changing your fuel supplier. Many fuel companies now operate dual fuel schemes which can save you money if you buy both gas and electricity from that supplier. There may also be other schemes that operate locally or nationally.
You can find more information about changing your fuel supplier, from the website of the consumer watchdog, Consumer Focus at: www.consumerfocus.org.uk.
The Consumer Focus website also lists a number of approved, internet price comparison services. These will compare the different deals available from electricity and gas suppliers to help you find out if you could save money by switching to a new supplier. In order to compare the prices being offered by different suppliers with the price from your current supplier, you will need to calculate how much you are currently paying for your fuel each year. You can work this out by looking at your last four quarterly bills. Go to: www.consumerfocus.org.uk.
The Consumer Focus website can also give you a list of the supply companies operating in your area, together with the prices they charge.
You can also find further information on getting the best energy deal in a leaflet on the Ofgem website at www.ofgem.gov.uk.
In England, Wales and Scotland, you can get help and advice about changing your supplier by phoning Consumer Direct on 0845 404 0506. The Welsh language helpline is 0845 404 0505.
In Northern Ireland, you can get information about changing your supplier by contacting the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland on 028 9067 2488, or visit their website at: www.consumercouncil.org.uk.
For more information about gas companies, see Gas supply.
For more information about electricity companies, see Electricity supply.
If you are having problems paying your fuel bills, you should contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau. To search for details of your nearest CAB, including those that can give advice by e-mail, click on nearest CAB.
There are currently two gas suppliers in Northern Ireland but it is only possible to switch suppliers in certain areas. You can find details of the areas where you can switch gas supplier on the website of the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland at: www.consumercouncil.org.uk.
There are two electricity suppliers, so you can decide to change your electricity supplier, if you want to. You can find a price comparison tool for switching your electricity supplier on the website of the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland at: www.consumercouncil.org. Or you can phone the Consumer Council on 0800 121 6022.
Most households can save a substantial amount on fuel bills by using energy in an efficient way, and can be warmer and healthier as a result. Grants and discount schemes are available to help with fuel efficiency measures. Even if you have to meet some of the costs yourself, the savings on fuel bills can quickly repay the initial cost.
For more information about how to use less energy and cut your fuel bills, in England, Wales and Scotland go to the website of consumer watchdog Consumer Focus at: www.consumerfocus.org.uk. In Northern Ireland, go to www.consumercouncil.org.uk.
To get an idea of how much energy you can save in your home, you can do a home energy check. Go to the Energy Savings Trust website at: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk, or phone your local Energy Advice Saving centre on 0800 512 012.
For more information about how to generate your own energy go to the Energy Saving Trust website at: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.
To get an idea of which technologies are suitable to generate energy for your home, you can use the Home Energy Generation Selector tool at www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.
The website also gives you:
Under the FIT scheme, you can be paid for all the energy you generate. This includes all the electricity you generate, even if you use it yourself and additionally any excess electricity that you don't use yourself, which you can export to the National Grid.
There are various energy efficiency schemes and grants that are available. These schemes vary across the UK and are run by a variety of organisations. The main scheme is a home energy efficiency scheme known as Warm Front in England, Energy Assistance Package in Scotland, the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme in Wales and the Warm Homes Scheme in Northern Ireland. The schemes are government funded and provide energy advice and grants to help with the costs of home insulation. They also help to improve energy efficiency for certain groups of people including those on low incomes.
The schemes cover both owner-occupiers and people renting accommodation. In some cases, the maximum grant available does not cover the full cost of the work and you have to pay something towards the costs.
Help with home insulation is also available for home-owners and private tenants through a government scheme run by Carillion Energy Services. The scheme provides home insulation either for free or at a low-cost price, depending on whether you are getting certain benefits. You can find out more about the home insulation scheme from the Carillion Energy Services website at: insulation.carillionenergy.com.
You may also be able to apply to the local authority for a grant, loan or other type of help for home improvements.
In England and Wales, for more information about home improvements, see Help with home improvements.
In Scotland, for more information about home improvements, see Housing grants.
You can contact your local Energy Advice Saving centre for information on energy savings schemes and grants. You can find your local centre on freefone 0800 512 012 or the Energy Savings Trust website at www.energysavingtrust.org.uk. You can also search for local grants and offers in your area on the Energy Savings Trust website at: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk. Many independent fuel companies and local authorities operate grants and schemes and also provide energy efficiency advice. Grants can be given for work connected to any energy saving measures, including, in some circumstances, for providing gas or electric central heating. Grants can also be given for low-energy light bulbs.
The Warm Front scheme is run by a company called Carillion Energy Services. Carillion Energy Services is known as the scheme manager.
You can apply to the Warm Front scheme for a grant to carry out one or more of the following:
To qualify for a Warm Front grant, your property must be assessed as having low thermal efficiency under the Government's Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP)for Energy Rating of Dwellings. You can find out more about SAP on the website of the Department for Energy and Climate Change at: www.decc.gov.uk.
You must also meet some other conditions. You may be able to get a Warm Front grant if:
The maximum Warm Front grant is £3,500, or £6,000 if oil-fired central heating is to be installed.
Landlords may be entitled to a Landlord's Energy Saving Allowance of up to £1,500 a property if they carry out certain energy saving improvements. Landlords, should contact their local tax office for more information.
Landlords aren't allowed to raise the rent on properties which have benefited from a Warm Front grant for a set period after the completion of the works. If your landlord attempts to do this, you should get help from an experienced adviser, for example, at your local Citizens Advice Bureau. To search for details of your nearest CAB, including those that can give advice by e-mail, click on nearest CAB.
You can get more information about the Warm Front grant by going to the Directgov website at www.direct.gov.uk/warmfront, or by calling Carillion Energy Services on freephone 0800 408 0688.
The Nest programme provides energy improvement work in Wales. It is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and managed by British Gas.
Some examples of work you can have done under the Nest programme include:
You can get advice on how to save energy, whether or not you have any work done.
Nest replaces the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES). If you have applied for a grant under HEES but no decision has been made yet, or if the work hasn't yet started, your application will be treated as if it had been made under Nest.
The property must be privately owned or privately rented.
If your landlord attempts to put up your rent because you've had work done under the Nest Programme, you should get help from an experienced adviser, for example, at your local Citizens Advice Bureau. To search for details of your nearest CAB, including those that can give advice by e-mail, click on nearest CAB.
To be able to get a full package of help under the Nest Programme, you must be living in an eligible property and also be getting one or more of the following benefits:
You can only get a full package of help under the scheme if your property has an energy efficiency rating of F or G. You can get information about energy rating on the Directgov website at: www.direct.gov.uk. You may be entitled to help with insulation only if you are:
To apply for help under the Nest Programme, call free from a landline to 0800 512 012, or from a mobile to 0300 456 2655. You can get information about the programme on the Nest website: at www.nestwales.org.uk.
In Scotland, the Energy Assistance Package provides free energy advice for everyone. For those eligible, there is further advice on improving incomes and reducing energy bills. For private sector households (owner occupiers and tenants of private landlords) who qualify there are grants which help to cover the costs of home insulation and central heating. The Energy Assistance Package is managed for the Scottish Government by the Energy Saving Trust.
For more information about the Energy Assistance Package, go to the Energy Assistance Package website at www.energyassistancepackage.com or contact the Energy Savings Trust on 0800 512 012.
In Scotland, the Warm Deal Grant provided grants which helped to cover the costs of home insulation, draught proofing and energy advice.
This scheme closed to new applicants on 5 April 2009 and was replaced by the Energy Assistance Package. The Warm Deal Grant for existing customers is managed for the Scottish Government by Scottish Gas.
For enquiries about the Warm Deal Grant contact:
Scottish Gas
Freepost
SCO 4421
Edinburgh
EH6 OBR
Tel:0800 316 6009
In Scotland, the Central Heating Programme covered the private sector and provided grants for those with broken, inefficient, partial or no central heating who fulfilled certain conditions. This scheme closed to new applicants on 5 April 2009 and was replaced by the Energy Assistance Package. The Central Heating Programme for existing customers is managed for the Scottish Government by Scottish Gas.
For enquiries about the Central Heating Programme contact:
Scottish Gas
Freepost
SCO 4421
Edinburgh
EH6 OBR
Tel:0800 316 1653
In Northern Ireland, you may be eligible for a Warm Homes grant for help with insulation measures and/or heating. The grant is divided into two parts.
Warm Homes provides insulation and energy efficiency measures and is for householders of any age in receipt of at least one of the following benefits:
Warm Homes plus provides a new heating system for householders using solid fuel, Economy 7, Bottled gas or no system at all. Householders of any age can apply who are in receipt of one of the following benefits:
For more information about the Warm Homes grant in Northern Ireland, go to: www.warm-homes.com.
You may be able to get a Winter Fuel Payment to help with your fuel costs if you have reached the qualifying age. If you are a woman, the qualifying age is the same as the age at which you can get a state pension. If you are a man, the qualifying age is the state pension age for a woman with the same date of birth as you.
The Winter Fuel Payment is a tax-free payment paid every year over the winter months. However, you can choose how you use the money, and the payment does not depend on how cold the weather gets. There are other payments that are only paid when the weather reaches a certain temperature, called cold weather payments. These are made to people on some income related benefits during cold weather. You may be able to get a cold weather payment as well as a Winter Fuel Payment.
If you're a woman, you can claim a Winter Fuel Payment when you reach state pension age. You must be state pension age in the qualifying week for the winter concerned. The qualifying week always begins on the third Monday of September.
If you're a man, you can claim a Winter Fuel Payment when you reach the state pension age of a woman with the same date of birth as you. You must be this age in the qualifying week for the winter concerned.
You must live in the UK to get a Winter Fuel Payment and there must be no immigration conditions on your stay here.
There are some people who cannot get a payment even if they are the qualifying age. For example, you will not get a Winter Fuel Payment if you are in hospital, during the qualifying week (and have been there for over a year), and some people living in a care home don't qualify.
For more information about state pension age and about people who aren't entitled get a Winter Fuel Payment, see Benefits for people over sixty.
The rate of the Winter Fuel Payment is usually announced in the summer before the qualifying week in September.
For the winter of 2011/12 the Winter Fuel Payment is between £100 and £300 depending on your situation. You can find details of the rates on the Directgov website at: www.direct.gov.uk.
If you are not sure whether you can get a Winter Fuel Payment, or which rate you are entitled to, you should consult an experienced adviser, for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau. To search for details of your nearest CAB, including those that can give advice by email, click on nearest CAB.
Most people who are entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment do not need to make a claim. You will automatically get a payment if you get Retirement Pension, Pension Credit, or one of a number of other benefits in the qualifying week.
For a full list of people who can get a Winter Fuel Payment without needing to make a claim, see Benefits for people over sixty.
If you do need to make a claim for a Winter Fuel Payment, you can get a claim form from the website www.direct.gov.uk or from the Winter Fuel Payments helpline on 0845 915 1515 (text phone 0845 601 5613). You can also use this helpline for any queries you have about Winter Fuel Payments, or to find out what is happening if you are expecting a payment and it is late.
If you're on a low income, you may be able to get a cold weather payment to help with your fuel costs during periods of cold weather.
However, it does not matter what you spend the money on, and cold weather payments do not have to be repaid.
Payments are made when the weather station linked to your area forecasts or records an average daily temperature of 0 degrees centigrade or less for seven days in a row.
Cold weather payments are different from Winter Fuel Payments which are made every winter to people over 60 regardless of the temperature.
For more information about cold weather payments, including who is entitled to get them and how much you get, see Help for people on a low income - the Social Fund.
In England, Wales and Scotland, if you're in arrears with your gas or electricity, you may be able to get help from your fuel supplier.
Some energy suppliers have set up independent charitable trusts which give grants to some of their customers to help them pay for fuel arrears. You may also be able to get grants to pay for other household bills.
To find out if you can get help, visit the British Gas Energy Trust website at: www.britishgasenergytrust.org.uk, the EDF Energy Trust website at: www.edfenergytrust.org.uk or the npower Energy Trust website at: www.npowerenergytrust.org.uk.
In England, Wales and Scotland, for more information about fuel arrears, see Gas and electricity arrears, in Credit and debt fact sheets.
The Energy Saving Trust can assess your needs and offer advice on all aspects of energy efficiency. They can also offer advice on grants or schemes available in your area.
To contact your local Energy Saving Trust advice centre, call (freephone) 0800 512 012, or go to www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.
Consumer Direct can give you help and advice about changing your energy supplier.
Consumer Direct is a telephone and online consumer advice service, supported by the Office of Fair Trading and local authority Trading Standards services. It is available in England, Scotland and Wales.
The advice and information is free, but telephone calls to Consumer Direct are charged at 0845 prices.
Tel: 0845 404 0506 or 0845 404 0505 for the Welsh language helpline
Website: www.consumerdirect.org.uk
In England, Wales and Scotland, Consumer Focus is the consumer watchdog responsible for protecting the interests of electricity and gas consumers.
The Consumer Focus website has information about:
Go to: www.consumerfocus.org.uk.
The Consumer Council for Northern Ireland can give you information and advice about changing your fuel supplier. You can contact them on: 028 9067 2488, or visit their website at: www.consumercouncil.org.uk.
Age UK produce useful information about saving money on fuel and energy. You can find out more on their website.
In England, visit www.ageuk.org.uk
In Northern Ireland, visit www.ageuk.org.uk.
In Scotland, visit www.ageuk.org.uk.
In Wales, visitt: www.ageuk.org.uk
They also offer telephone advice for older people.
In England you can contact Age UK advice on 0800 169 6565.
In Northern Ireland you can contact Age NI advice on 0808 808 7575.
In Scotland, you can contact Age Scotland advice on 0845 125 9732.
In Wales you can contact Age Cymru advice on 0800 169 6565.
The Home Heat Helpline offers advice on energy efficiency and fuel debts to customers who are having difficulty heating their homes or paying their bills. The helpline can give you help and advice on identifying energy efficiency grants, arranging alternative payment methods, carrying out benefits checks and getting specialist advice. You can contact the Home Heat Helpline on 0800 33 66 99.
All suppliers of gas and electricity have to provide information on energy saving measures as a condition of trading. For more information, contact your fuel supplier and ask them about the energy advice offered. You can find details of gas and electricity suppliers on the Consumer Focus website at: www.consumerfocus.org.uk.
For more information about gas suppliers, see Gas supply.
For more information about electricity suppliers, see Electricity supply.
If you're disabled, you may be able to get a disabled facilities grant to improve your heating system. You may also be able to get a grant or some other form of assistance from your local authority to help with home insulation.
For more information about disabled facilities grants, in England and Wales see Help with home improvements and, in Scotland, see Home improvement schemes.
If you'd like some free, unbiased money advice to help you find ways of coping with your energy bills, try the Money Advice Service financial health check. The questions take just a few minutes to answer and are completely confidential. At the end you'll have a better understanding of what shape your finances are in.
The health check also gives you a financial action plan and ideas on how to make the most of your money. For more information, go to www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk.
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