Energy giant British Gas has revealed an extra support package to help its customers stay warm, save energy and cut their heating bills this winter.
It’s ‘Warmer Winter’ package promises not to increase prices over the winter months, discounts to households on a low income, flexible payment options and free home insulation. (more...)
Millions of UK households are set to receive letters advising them how to save money on their gas and electricity bills. The information will include advice on how to switch to a cheaper energy tariff, how choosing a different payment option may give them a discount, and how to take advantage of subsidised or free home insulation.
The plans were agreed at an energy summit held at Number 10 yesterday. Prime Minister David Cameron summoned the chief executives of all the ‘Big Six’ energy suppliers, and representatives of the industry regulator, Ofgem and consumer groups to talk about rising energy bills. (more...)
Energy suppliers could limit the amount of funding available this winter to households living in fuel poverty.
Vulnerable families are currently eligible for cheaper ‘social tariffs’ from energy suppliers; however these will be replaced by a Warm Home Discount scheme this winter. This new initiative, which will also be managed by energy suppliers, will provide households in fuel poverty with £120 towards their energy bills. (more...)
New research has shown the average UK household to have 3.5 times more gadgets than 20 years ago, sending our energy bills through the roof.
According to the Energy Saving Trust, our love of devices like plasma TVs, tumble dryers, computers and games consoles also means the UKs target for carbon reduction on domestic appliances will be missed by around 7 million tons. (more...)
For the first time ever, the cheapest gas and electricity tariffs are now over £1,000 a year.
Results from a recent survey by price comparison website uSwitch.com, found the record breaking prices come at a time when 3 in every 10 households say they are struggling to pay their energy bills. (more...)
EDF Energy today announced it will be joining the other ‘Big Six’ energy suppliers and increasing its prices.
Gas prices are set to rise by 15.4% and electricity by 4.5% from November 10th. EDF’s news means all the UKs major energy providers have increased their tariffs ahead of the coming winter; British Gas, Scottish Power, nPower, E.ON and Scottish and Southern Energy have all announced price hikes over the last few months, some as much as 18%. (more...)
EDF Energy joined British Gas and Scottish and Southern Energy this week to become the third of the UKs ‘Big Six’ energy suppliers to suspend doorstep sales. This leaves Scottish Power, E.ON and nPower as the only remaining energy giants to continue selling their energy deals door-to-door.
The selling of energy on doorsteps has recently raised much concern from MPs and consumer groups, who claim it is misleading and unfair to consumers. They argue the majority of deals sold in this manner have left consumers worse off, or baffled by the way they are made up. Many households also found this sales technique outdated and felt pressured into making a decision there and then. (more...)
nPower has become the first of the ‘Big Six’ energy suppliers to sign up to consumer champion Which?’s campaign to not sell energy deals on the back of the smart meter installation program.
The smart meter ‘no selling, just installing’ pledge was set up by Which? in July, because it feared energy companies would see it as an opportunity to use hard sales techniques and sell their energy tariffs while installing the meters. (more...)
Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Chris Huhne issued a warning to our ‘Big Six’ energy suppliers this week, telling them to ‘pull their finger out’, because they were falling short of the government’s energy efficiency targets.
Despite this week’s government figures showing almost 300,000 completed home insulation measures like loft or cavity wall installations over the past three months, the completion rates need to be doubled to meet the targets. (more...)
British Gas has started rolling out smart meters to its customers this month. The touch-screen devices are set to improve the way households manage their energy by tracking energy usage in real time and showing how much it costs. This will help households become more energy efficient and save money.
To meet the UK’s carbon emission targets, the government wants all homes to be fitted with smart meters by 2020, and British Gas is set to install them in 10 million of its customer’s homes. Other energy providers including nPower and EDF Energy have also announced plans to provide the devices to their customers. (more...)
