a guide to switching energy and staying warm · cost of staying warm in their homes. one of the...
TRANSCRIPT
A GUIDE TO
SWITCHING ENERGYAND STAYING WARM
‘A Guide to Switching Energy and Staying Warm’ / 3
A message from comparethemarket.com
A message from Friends of the Elderly
The winter season brings with it not only the colder weather but, for many
households, the stress and worry of the cost of staying warm in their homes.
One of the quickest and easiest ways to save
money is to shop around for the best energy
deal. You could save up to £153 by simply
switching provider, however there are also
many things you can do around the house
to reduce your energy consumption. To help
remove any concerns around keeping warm
this winter, we’ve compiled some helpful
tips to manage your energy usage that
should have a big financial impact.
James Padmore, Head of Energy, comparethemarket.com
We know that many older people have difficulty staying warm and well in
the winter. It’s very concerning that so many sacrifice a meal or use their savings to afford to have their heating on.
As well as struggling to cope with escalating
heating and fuel allowance costs, an
alarming number also have no one to talk to
about their concerns about staying well at
this time of year. Our ‘Be a Friend’ campaign
is encouraging everyone to get to know the
people living around them and look out for
each other where they can. If you have an
older neighbour, friend or relative, why not
take a moment out of your day to make sure
they are keeping warm and well.
Steve Allen, Chief Executive,Friends of the Elderly
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Keeping warm and well this winter
We hope you find this guide interesting and informative. The fastest way to
make the biggest savings on your energy is to make sure you’re with the provider and tariff that is offering the best deal. If you’re not familiar with how to compare the energy market or don’t have access to the internet, we recommend that you ask a friend, family member or neighbour for their help.
It’s Friends of the Elderly’s mission to help
older people, especially those in need due to
physical or mental frailty, isolation or poverty.
It provides high quality caring services,
personalised to the needs of the individual and
integrated with local communities.
For more tips and ideas about how you can
help make sure older relatives, friends and
neighbours are keeping warm and well, visit
Friends of the Elderly’s Be a Friend website:
www.beafriendtoday.org.uk
‘A Guide to Switching Energy and Staying Warm’ / 5
Which tariff is best for you?
Some variations include:Green: Customers can choose to switch to green tariffs for electricity if they are concerned about
reducing carbon emissions.
Online: This requires customers to manage their entire account online. Because these tariffs
reduce billing costs for the energy supplier, they are usually offered at a discounted price.
Social: A social tariff is available to vulnerable customers, taking into account low income, age,
illness or disability.
Economy 7 Electricity: Most tariffs are available with Economy 7, but not all. These are ideal for
consumers who use the majority of their energy at night.
Fixed or Variable? One of the most common questions around energy is whether fixed or variable tariffs offer the
best deal. There is not a hard and fast rule about which tariff you should opt for, we recommend
you review the key considerations below and speak to your energy provider if you’re still unsure.
Fixed: Prices remain the same for a defined period of time, regardless of any price changes
announced by the energy supplier.
Variable: The standard and default tariff offered by energy companies will be variable. This type
of tariff is available on most payment options.
6 \ ‘A Guide to Switching Energy and Staying Warm’
Whether it’s quarterly, half-yearly or annually, understanding your energy
usage and knowing what to look out for is essential for those looking to save on energy bills.
YOUR ENERGY BILLBill/Statement
Period: The period for which you are being charged gas and/or electricity
usage
Customer Reference Number: A number unique to you that allows energy companies to track your usage and history
How to understand your energy bill
Gas/ Electricity Consumption: This
shows how much gas and/or electricity has been used within the billing period and is
measured in kilowatt-hours – listed on your
bill as kWh.
‘A Guide to Switching Energy and Staying Warm’ / 7
Tariffs: This will often be shown in two-tiers. The first will show a small amount of your energy use being charged at a higher rate –
this is for the first units of energy used within your household.
Comparison: How this will be displayed will vary depending on which supplier you are
with. Each bill you receive will compare your kWh usage for the specific period, with the
same period the year previous.
Projected Cost: An estimate of future costs based on your current energy usage. This is a key figure to keep in mind if you’re looking to
switch suppliers.
Make sure you shop around for the best energy deal if your fixed energy tariff is due to expire. If you do not contact your supplier, you will
automatically be rolled onto the lowest variable tariff which could end up costing more than your previous fixed energy deal.
8 \ ‘A Guide to Switching Energy and Staying Warm’
Top tips for saving energy
Loft insulation and cavity wall insulation makes a huge difference to heat
retention. The cost on average can beoffset in four years.
Use draft excluders to stop cold air coming through exterior doors,
windows and skirting boards.
Turn off lights, appliances, technology and battery chargers at the socket when not
in use. Energy wasted by leaving electrical items on standby costs UK households an
average of £50-£90 per year.
Reduce the watertemperature on
your boiler by a fewdegrees. Chances
are you won’t noticeany difference but
will save cash.
Replace oldboilers with new,
more efficientmodels.
Invest in curtainswith thermal
linings, especiallyif you have
single glazedwindows.
‘A Guide to Switching Energy and Staying Warm’ / 9
Save energy by runningyour washing machine at
30°C rather than 40°C. Use a washing line or clothes airer
instead of a tumble dryer.
Close interior doors to prevent warmth escaping.
Change your light bulbs to low-energy/LED versions which can cut your energyconsumption by up to 90 per cent. This
could save you up to £240 a year.
Cook double batches offood and freeze half for
another day ratherthan running the oven
or hob twice.
Don’t boil a fullkettle of water when
you only need to makeone cup – only fill for
the number ofcups needed.
Fit insulating jacketson your hot water
tank to reduce heatloss. Use an eco
shower head, whichcan reduce your hot
water usage and yourwater consumption.
10 \ ‘A Guide to Switching Energy and Staying Warm’
In addition to taking steps within your home to make it more energy efficient,
don’t forget one of the fastest ways to save on your energy bill is to shop around for the best deal. The average household could save £153 a year on energy bills by simply comparing the market and switching to the best energy tariff.*
Save on your energy bill with these 3 easy ways to switch:
Visit online
Call 0800 093 6831
Download our Snapt™ app
* 50% of customers who used comparethemarket.com to switch their gas and electricity between 1st July -31st August 2014 could have achieved this saving on their annual energy bill.
Switch and save
‘A Guide to Switching Energy and Staying Warm’ / 11
Friends of the Elderlywww.beafriendtoday.org.ukT. 020 7730 8263 F. 020 7259 0154
Visit www.comparethemarket.comfor more infomation