Fuel Poverty Awareness Day: What you need to know
There’s no escaping from the high price of energy bills these days, and today, which is Fuel Poverty Awareness Day we’ll be talking about ways that you can keep your energy bills low this winter. We also cover the ways that we can support you, and what we're doing to tackle the energy crisis.
Despite the lack of increased support this winter, there are still some government schemes that you may be able to access. This includes the Warm Home Discount Scheme, which is a one-off payment of £150 off your electricity bill for people on low incomes. There's also the Cold Weather Payment, which is based off the temperature in your area, and you can receive it if it’s recorded or forecast to be zero degrees or below over seven consecutive days. You can learn more about this and the eligibility criteria here.
You likely know the basics when it comes to keeping your energy bills down; turning off lights and appliances and turning the heating off when you’re out, being two examples. The Energy Saving Trust has some more detailed suggestions, including changing clothes washing habits, avoiding using a tumble dryer, spending less time in the shower, and how much money this could save. Some of the suggestions in this article are things you can do, and you can find additional resources on their website.
If you’re struggling with your energy bills, please talk to your energy provider. Ofgem states that energy providers must work with you to provide a payment plan, even if you need an existing payment plan reviewed. You can find guidance from Ofgem here. National Energy Action, the charity leading Fuel Poverty Awareness Day has information and support on its website.
CHP is here to support customers too:
- Our team of welfare and benefits advisors are at Parkside Community Hub on Melbourne Avenue every Tuesday, and they’ll be able to help ensure that you’re getting all the financial aid that you’re eligible for.
- Parkside Community Hub in Melbourne, Chelmsford is a Warm Hub for the second year in a row. This is open to everyone, not just CHP customers. Come along, have a hot drink and warm up.
- Improving our homes and ensuring that they’re safe and well-maintained is important to CHP. This includes improving the energy efficiency of our homes. All our new homes have an EPC rating of C+, and 70 percent of older homes have an EPC of C+. You can find out more about what we’re doing to improve our homes in this year’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report.
If you have any questions or would like further details on anything mentioned here, please call us on 0300 555 0500 or email enquiries@chp.org.uk.