Government Grants to Improve Energy Efficiency

The UK government has a scheme running called the Warm Front Scheme. The scheme has been set up to tackle fuel poverty - where a household cannot afford to keep warm. Fuel poverty damages the health of those living in cold homes and affects their quality of life. The old, children, and those who are disabled or have a long-term illness are especially vulnerable. The main cause of fuel poverty in the UK is a combination of poor energy efficiency in homes and low incomes. The scheme enables grants of up to £2,500 to households in receipt of an income related or disability benefit. The Government pays out £150million each year via this scheme. You can read the full details by clicking here.

Heating Facts and Tips

• Turning your central heating thermostat down by just one degree will save you approx. £20 a year.
• Many UK homes are poorly insulated and lose up to 33 per cent of their heat through the walls. Consumers can save up to £100 per year on their heating bill if they insulate walls and lofts and draught proof doors and windows.
• Improving your loft insulation can save you up to 20% on your heating bills
• Fitting easy to fix brush or PVC seals to your external doors will help eliminate draughts and get rid of cold spots.
• The ideal situation is to fit double-glazing, but many DIY shops stock much cheaper alternatives to reducing heat loss through windows.
• Close your curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows.

Lighting and Energy Usage Facts and Tips

• Energy savings light bulbs last longer than ordinary bulbs and use a fifth of the electricity – saving you about £80 over the lifetime of the bulb
• Turn lights off when you leave a room and adjust curtains/blinds to let in as much light as possible during the day.
• Defrost your fridge/freezer regularly to keep it running efficiently and cheaply. Avoid putting hot or warm food straight into the fridge.
• Heat only the amount of water you need when boiling the kettle.
• Turn taps off after use. A dripping tap can waste enough water to fill a bath.
• Showers use only two-fifths of the water needed for a bath.

Click here to go to the uSwitch web site and see other money saving tips together with lots of hard facts about how much you could save by switching your Gas, Electricity or Telephone supplier