Little Book of Energy

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The little book

of energyHow to save energy andreduce your bills


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Home Heat Helpline0800 33 66 99

Kym Marsh,Coronation St actress

It wasnt so long ago thatI was a single mum livingon benefits with two youngkids so I remember howhard it can be to keep yourfamily warm when everypenny counts.

But this doesnt have to bethe situation for familiesacross the UK. Had I knownabout the Home HeatHelpline I would have pickedup the phone immediately which is why I encourageyou to give them a call.


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1

Contents

2 Introduction4 The Home Heat Helpline

Who are we? What we do

Are you eligible for help?The Home Heat Helpline gets results

10 Case Study: Irene Dixon

12 Saving EnergyUse less, Save more!

14 Take ChargeSetting the Thermostat

Your BoilerInsulation

18 Case Study: Kizzy Sheehan

20 Hints, Tips and Advice Hot water Radiators or Heaters

In the KitchenKeep the cold out and the warmth inLight bulbsAnd finally

26 Case Study:Judith Cotterill

28 Useful Contacts


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Welcome to the Home Heat Helplinesguide to saving energy and reducingyour bills. This guide will tell youabout the simple steps we can all

take to save energy, save money andhelp the environment. It will also tellyou about the grants available forfree home insulation and other helpwith reducing your bills and making

your home more energy efficient.

Introduction


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Many of us are worried aboutthe cost of our gas and electricitythese days. The era of cheapenergy is a thing of the pastbut at the same time we areusing more and more energy.

Most of us know there are thingswe can do to save money onbills, but were often uncertainabout exactly what they are, howto go about them and whetherwe can afford to make thesechanges to our homes and lives.

This guide will tell you the simplesteps you need to help cut thecost of your bills straightaway.For the elderly and people gettingby on low incomes or benefits,energy costs are an even biggerissue. Many struggle throughor go without when they reallydont need to because they dontknow where to turn for help.

The best place to start is theHome Heat Helpline. Its a freephone service that you can callyourself or on behalf of someone

you care for, so why not get intouch today? Well give you easyto understand, simple adviceand well put you in contactwith schemes and organisationsthat could make a real difference.


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The Home Heat Helpline

Who are we?The Home Heat Helpline0800 33 66 99is a free phoneservice set up to tackle fuel povertyand help vulnerable energycustomers worried about theirbills. We help people accessfurther information, schemesand services that will help themmanage their energy costs andgrants for home improvementsthat can reduce energy consumptionin the future. The Helpline isprimarily for people of pensionable

age, families on low incomesand those with disabilitiesor long-term health conditions.If youre uncertain whetheror not you qualify why not giveus a call to find out?

The Home Heat Helplineprovides fuel poor andvulnerable customers withdirect access to help andsupport that is available.

The Home Heat Helplinerecognises that those mostin need of help are sometimesthose least able to access it.You dont have to be the billpayer to contact us. You cancall on behalf of a relative,friend, client or someone

you care about.


The Home Heat Helpline providesfuel poor and vulnerable customerswith direct access to help andsupport thats available.


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What we doThe Home Heat Helplines Glasgow-based team of expertadvisers will give you access to a range of services providedby all the major energy companies, including:

Ways in which you could potentially save money on your gasand electricity bills.

Grants for free home insulation with no means testingfor the over 70s.

The Priority Service Register for customers with disabilitiesand special needs among the services on offer are billsin Braille, large print and audio formats; meters movedto more convenient location, gas appliance safety checksand safety passwords so you know when a caller is fromthe gas or electricity company.Flexible payment options for customers in fuel debt.Benefits entitlement checks to see if youre missing out.

The disconnection safety net is also in place to ensure thatno vulnerable customer will be knowingly disconnected,even if they are unable to pay their bill.

Claiming these benefits is easier than you might think.Well tell you if youre likely to qualify and put you in contactwith the right people to take it forward.


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If youre unsure whether youqualify for help or not then contactthe Home Heat Helpline on

0800 33 66 99 to find out.

Are you eligible for help?You may qualify for extra help from your energy providerif youre:

Of pensionable ageDisabledA family on low income

Living with long-term health conditions Living on benefits

You may be able to get some help withyour energy bills if you are in receipt ofany of the following:

Pension Credit Income Support Housing Benefit Council Tax Benefit DLA (Disability Living Allowance) Attendance Allowance Child Tax Credit (earning less than 16,040)


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The Home Heat Helplinegets resultsSince its creation, the Home HeatHelpline has received over 200,000calls from across Britain. Nearlyhalf of all callers reported that theyhad reduced their energy bills aftercalling us and many more were

able to access benefits and grantsafter wed spoken to them.

As well as helping you get all the help you can from your energysupplier, the Home Heat Helpline also acts as a central pointwhere you can find out about all the other support services that areavailable, including:

Warm Front, a government funded service providingfree insulation and replacement heating systems.This scheme is called Nest in Wales and the Energy AssistancePackage in Scotland

Energy Saving Trust Advice Centres

Benefits teams at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)Home Improvement Agencies such as Care & Repair

The Home Heat Helpline also hasan online service where peoplecan leave their contact details andreceive a call back from an adviserat a time that suits them.The online service is available atwww.homeheathelpline.org.ukand also features more information

on what we do and some videosof people weve helped.


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Dame TanniGrey-ThompsonWinner of 16Paralympic medals

Its important that peopleknow where to get the advicethey need to keep warm.The Home Heat Helplineis a free service for people

wanting to be more efficient,and if you have an elderlyrelative or care for someonewith a disability, you can evenmake the call on their behalf.

Nearly half of allcallers reportedthat they hadreduced their

energy bills aftercalling us andmany more wereable to accessbenefits and

grants after wedspoken to them.


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That money will reallycome in useful for

items that I would nototherwise have beenable to afford.


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Irene DixonBridgend

I am registered disabled andsuffer from arthritis so itsimportant that my husbandand I keep the house aswarm as possible duringthe winter months.

Ive been receiving help fromCare and Repair Wales, whichsupports elderly people. Mycarer advised me to call theHome Heat Helpline, to make

sure that I was paying thecorrect amount for my fuel bills.

The person I spoke to at thehelpline was very helpful andadvised me about free insulationand reduced tariffs. She alsocarried out a full benefits check

for me to make sure I was

receiving all the benefits Im

entitled to. She said that mysupplier might be able to giveme a rebate of 85 off my bill,so I was put directly though tomy supplier to discuss it.

A few days later I received aletter from my supplier, confirmingthat I would be receiving the85 off my bill. That money willreally come in useful for itemsthat I would not otherwise havebeen able to afford.

The help and advice given to

me by the Home Heat Helpinewas really useful and I woulddefinitely recommend it to anyfriends or relatives who maybe in a similar position. Its afreephone number, so its worthcalling to check youre notmissing out on anything you

are entitled to.


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Saving Energy

If we all turned off our TVs insteadof keeping them on stand-by, wecould shut down a couple of powerstations in the UK.


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Use less, Save more!The days of cheap energy areover so reducing our energyuse is vital.

We can all take control of thissituation by changing how we useenergy in our homes. We dont

have to live in the dark or stopusing the heating. Its all aboutbeing more energy efficient.The positives are that by reducingour bills and saving cash, werealso helping the planet.

In Britain, our homes are responsiblefor over a quarter of the carbondioxide (CO2) emissions that harmour environment. Simple actionscan considerably reduce ourenergy consumption and our bills,and help reduce climate change.The less energy we use, the less

CO2is released, which benefitsus all. And its easy too. Mostof the things we can do arecommon sense simple solutions.

Small changes that we can makeeach day can produce hugeresults. If we all turned off ourTVs and other gadgets insteadof keeping them on stand-by,for example, we could shut downa couple of power stationsin the UK, with huge reductions

in CO2emissions.

Turn lights off when you dont needthem on, reduce the temperatureof your washing machine, anddont use your dishwasher untilits fully loaded. Small actions likethese can produce big results its all about knowing what wecan do to have an immediateeffect without compromisingour quality of life.

Insulating our homes can makean even greater difference and,

for those of us on low incomes,these solutions can be free,so theres no reason not to do it.For others, insulation is oftenavailable at reduced pricesbecause its subsidised bythe major energy companies.And once its done itll carry on

saving money in years to come.

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Home Heat Helpline0800 33 66 99Home Heat Helpline0800 33 66 99

Take Charge

Heating is the best place to startsaving money. With two thirdsof our energy bills spent on keepingwarm in winter, getting it right could

save hundreds of pounds a year.

Setting the ThermostatMany of us keep our homes sowarm we can wander round inshort sleeves even on the coldestwinter day. If youre used to havingyour home at 23C or higher, tryturning the thermostat down to21C in stages of one degree over

a period of two to three weeks.

Consider fitting individual radiatoror heater thermostats in bedrooms it only costs a small amount ofmoney and will help you set theheating to the right level in eachroom. Its also a good idea toswitch off radiators in rooms youare not using and keep internaldoors shut. Keep bedroom doorsand the doors of little-used roomstight shut. Otherwise you could beburning energy just to keep aspare room warm.

The elderly, disabled and familieswith young children need to takeextra care in keeping warm inwinter. Older people and thosewith disabilities or long-term healthproblems need more warmth but18C in the bedroom and 21C

elsewhere is a good place to start.


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Even newborn babies actuallyshouldnt be kept too warm.A bedroom temperature of16-20C and a bathroomtemperature of 21C are fine.

Turning your thermostatdown by only one degree

centigrade can cut the costof your heating by 10 per cent.Many of us can get lazy whenit comes to our boiler controlsand thermostats. Instead of usingtimer settings we leave our heatingon constantly and rely on the mainthermostat to turn the temperatureon and off.

It makes sense to set the heatingto come on half an hour before weget up and to go off half an hourbefore bedtime. And if your homeis properly insulated youll use those

heating controls even less. Well-insulated homes retain heat, andcool more slowly which means youdont need the heating on for so long.

Richard Wilson OBEStar of TV show One Footin the Grave and Merlin

Im worried people are notgetting the support they areentitled to on energy bills whether its pensioners,single parents or people withdisabilities there are special

rates, free insulation and widerhelp out there all for the taking.But people need to know whatsavailable thats why I amasking everyone who thinksthey may qualify for supportto call the free Home HeatHelpline today.


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If you rent your home then yourlandlord (whether theyre acompany, housing associationor a private individual) must carryout a safety check on all gasappliances once a year. For moreinformation on carbon monoxiderisks see www.co-bealarmed.com

InsulationHaving enough insulation inyour home can save you moneythroughout the year. If you havecavity walls you could cut yourwinter bills by up to 15 per centby having them insulated.Its a quick and easy process.

Next check your loft insulation.Homes more than ten years oldoften have four to six inches ofinsulation, but modern standardscall for a depth of at least 270mm

(about ten inches). This too hasthe potential to cut your bills byup to 15 per cent.

Most energy companies givegrants of around 50 per centto almost everyone in Britainto have cavity wall and loft

insulation installed.

Your BoilerIf your boiler is more than 15 yearsold it should be replaced. Grantsare available to help with thecost of getting a new one ring the Home Heat Helplineon 0800 33 66 99for advice.

Even energy efficient moderncondensing boilers need someregular care and attentionto stay at peak efficiency. Everysix weeks check the systemis at the correct pressure.The boiler handbook will adviseyou if youve mislaid it, instructionmanuals are often availableon manufacturers websites.Its important to get your boilerchecked annually to make surethat youre not at risk from carbonmonoxide poisoning. You can

arrange this with your energycompany or by contacting theGas Safe Register of qualifiedengineers on 0800 408 5500orvisit www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk(The Gas Safe Register replacedCORGI as the register of qualifiedgas installers in April 2009).


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Everyone over the age of 70 isentitled to free insulation from theirenergy company. Families on lowincomes, people with disabilitiesand those with long-term healthconditions may also qualify.Ring the Home Heat Helpline on0800 33 66 99to see if youre

entitled or if you know or carefor someone who could benefit,you can call us on their behalf.

Setting the temperature levelscorrectly and having insulationsorted can help reduce heatingbills by up to 40 per cent. Butyour energy savings dont haveto stop there.

If you have cavitywalls you couldcut your winterbills by up to 15

per cent by havingthem insulated.Its a quick andeasy process.


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It was nice to talk tosomeone who understood.Its changed our lives.

Kizzy Sheehan

Leeds

Before I spoke to the HomeHeat Helpline I didnt knowwhere to turn to or what to do.My bills were out of control andI was getting into serious debt

with the energy company.I ignored it for a long time, andthen when I tried to dosomething about it I had areally frustrating time.

Ive got three young kids Sophie, whos at school, Tyler

and Doante and right now

Im bringing them up on myown. Its a struggle to get byand I know a lot of youngpeople like me find it hard toask for help. As a single mumyou feel like youre beingjudged and I wanted to provethat I could survive.

I would definitely say to otherpeople to ring the Home HeatHelpline especially youngerpeople. The longer you leave itthe harder its going to get. Itsonly a phone call and its notgoing to cost you anything, sowhy not?


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Hints, Tips and Advice

1Hot water

Keep your cool. Manypeople have their hot watertemperature set too high.

A temperature of 60C is amplewhether it comes from acombi-boiler or a hot water tank.Many systems dont offer such

precise control, but you can alwaysinvest in a thermometer, run thehot water until it gets as hot asit can and fine tune accordingly.


A dripping hot

tap is moneydown the drainand can wasteas much as a

bathtub full everycouple of days.


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2Radiators or Heaters

Use it dont lose it.Make sure your radiatorsand heaters are not

blocked by furniture or coveredby curtains. If you have a radiatorwith a curtain draped over it, mostof the heat will literally disappear

out of the window. Its also possibleto fit radiator foil behind radiatorsto reflect the heat back into theroom, which will save energy.

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For those with immersion heaters,dont turn it on until 45 minutesbefore you need hot water. Keepinga full tank hot all day can costas much as a penny a minute.

Make sure your hot water tankis lagged with at least 75mm

of insulation. Most have this nowsprayed on by the manufacturerbut a bare copper one wastesa staggering 75 per cent of themoney youre spending onheating the water.

If you have

a radiator witha curtain drapedover it, mostof the heat will

literally fly outthe window.


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3In the Kitchen

Keep your freezer full.Did you know an emptyfreezer uses more power

than a full one? As much as athird of your electricity bill goeson keeping frozen food frozenand running your fridge.

Economise by washing clothes at30C. Washing at 60C costsroughly twice as much becauseyoure using more energy to heatthe water. Advances in detergentsmean clothes can be cleaned justas well at lower temperatures.

Those half load options ondishwashers and washingmachines still use almost as muchof the energy, water and detergentas a full load. Its always bestto do a full load instead.

Allowing food to defrost in thefridge overnight cuts the fridgesenergy consumption and usesless energy than defrostingin the microwave. But do checkthe packaging on ready mealsand vegetables as some are

best cooked from frozen.

Use the kettle to heat waterfor vegetables and de-scaleit regularly. Only boiling as muchwater as you need in the kettlecan save you money, but makesure you cover the filamentsof electric kettles.


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4Keep the cold outand the warmth in

Draughts can be thebane of older houses,

but ventilation is necessaryto keep gas or open fires, gasheaters, cookers and boilers

operating safely. Never block airvents or grilles even if you feela draught coming through them.

Instead, you can use draught-proofing kits available from DIYstores to block draughts aroundexternal doors and windows and dont forget the letterbox!

If youre not using your chimney,you can get a chimney balloonfitted or have the top of yourchimneycapped,whichcansave you a huge amount of heat.

Never light a fire with these devicesin place. For further advice,contact a member of the NationalAssociation of Chimney Sweepsvia www.chimneyworks.co.ukorbycalling01785 811 732

Use the kettleto heat waterfor vegetablesand de-scale

it regularly.


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5Light bulbs

Let there be light. Manyof us now have energyefficient light bulbs sitting

in drawers or cupboards whilewe wait for the older type to burnout. These new light bulbs useup to 80 per cent less energy

and can cost as little as 50p each,so it makes sense to replacethem straightaway.

Its an urban myth that it takesmore energy to switch onfluorescent tube or strip lightingthan it uses in a day. If yourenot using the room, then turnoff the lights.

Traditional bulbsuse 80% more

energy thanlow energylight bulbs.


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Appliances left onstandby can useas much as threequarters of the

energy they usewhen they arefully switched on.

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6And finally...

Appliances left onstandby can use asmuch as three quarters

of the energy they use whenthey are fully switched on. Theaverage house normally hasat least eight appliances on

standby wasting you moneythat you could easily save.

When you come to replace anappliance, check the energyefficiency rating. Over the lifeof a washing machine orfridge-freezer, buying an energyefficient A+ or A++ rated modelcould save you its purchaseprice in reduced energy bills.


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Im saving about 15a month now, whichwill make a hugedifference to me.

Judith Cotterill,Warwickshire

It was so nice when I called the Home HeatHelpline to actually speak to a real personwho was glad to help instead of some voicetelling me to press button something or otherand wait in a queue for ten minutes.

Ive had ME for the last 18 years now. Fiveyears ago it became more severe and I hadto give up work. Im completely houseboundand because of my lack of mobility andvertigo problems I receive Disability LivingAllowance. I get by as best as I can

on a modest budget.

Its absolutely vital to me that I keep warmas the cold can make my illness much worse.When I started to hear about the big priceincreases for fuel on the radio I began toget a little worried so when I saw the HomeHeat Helpline number in the phonebook

I thought Id give them a call.


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Useful Contacts

Age UK Advice ..................................................... 0800 169 65 65Age Scotland Advice ........................................... 0845 226 58 51

The Benefit Enquiry Line ....................................... 0800 055 66 88(Jobcentre Plus)

Consumer Direct ................................................... 08454 04 05 06

Energy Saving Trust Advice Centres ................... 0800 512 012(Free and Independent Advice)

First Stop ................................................................. 0800 377 7070(Advice for Older People)

Gingerbread Single Parent Helpline .................. 0808 802 0925

Shelters free housing advice helpline ............... 0808 800 4444

There are government funded grants to replace heatingsystems or install insulation. These schemes are known as:

Warm Front (in England) .................................. 0800 316 2805 Nest (in Wales) .................................................. 0800 512 012 Energy Assistance Package (in Scotland) ..... 0800 512 012

(This service is accessed through theEnergy Saving Trust Advice Centres)

For advice on keeping well in winter please visit the

NHS Choices website: www.nhs.uk/winterhealth


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Design by 300million

September 2011

DISCLAIMER: The advice in this book is believedto be correct at the time of printing, but theauthors and publishers accept no liabilityfor actions inspired by this book.


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The Home Heat Helpline is run bythe Energy Retail Association andfunded by the six major electricityand gas suppliers in Great Britain.

Little Book of Energy

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