WORRIED ABOUT YOUR GAS OR ELECTRICITY BILL?Autumn2009
LEEDS CAB GUIDE for CONSUMERS updated14th September 2009
This guide gives basic information about help available in Leeds with fuel bills and energy efficiency improvements.
It gives telephone numbers and websites for how to find out more information, apply for grants and get advice.
1.HOW TO KEEP TRACK OF YOUR FUEL USE
Regular Meter Readings – It is important to keep track of how much gas and electricity you are using so that you can budget for the next bill and check how much fuel you are using. It can also be useful if you have a dispute. This means your meter needs to be read regularly.
You can use a chart below to keep a weekly/monthly check :-
Week: actual date / Electricity reading / Units used / Gas reading / Units used1: / x / X
2:
3:
4:
Totals / - / -
2.Priority Service Register (PSR)
What is it? It is a register of people who need extra help and care with their fuel bills. PSRs are managed by the fuel companies. You should not be disconnected in the winter months (October to March) if you are on the PSR. Am I eligible? You need to check with your energy company but in general the PSR is available to anyone who is over pension age, or is disabled or has a long term illness, or who has a visual or hearing impairment (blind or deaf). Once on the register you can ask for your meter to be read every 3 months rather than rely on estimated or your own readings.
How can I apply? Register direct with your fuel company or online via the Consumer Direct website. Contact details at the end of the guide.
3. HOW TO REDUCE THE COST OF YOUR FUEL
Social Tariff
What is it? A social tariff is often the cheapest deal available from your fuel company. It is offered by the fuel companies to people on certain disability allowances, benefits or tax credits and who are struggling to pay their fuel bill.
Am I eligible? You need to check with your fuel company but in general you must be in ‘fuel poverty’ (see definition above) or in receipt of one or more of the following allowances, tax credits or benefits:
- Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance, War Disablement Pension, Disablement Pension, Carers Allowance, Severe Disablement Allowance
- Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit, Pension Credit
- Council Tax Benefit, Housing Benefit, Income Support, Income Based Job Seekers’ Allowance
4. Social tariffs currently on offer from Fuel suppliers from September2009
** This is a useful link if you have access to the internet......
Find out what grants, discounts, free energy help and assistance you're entitled to, based on your personal circumstances. You may be entitled to much more help and assistance than you realise, such as
- help with paying energy bills, household bills including debts
- free advice on making homes more energy efficient
- financial support from government
Trust Fund / Discounts Available / Qualifying Conditions
(Scottish Hydro Electric; Southern Electric; SWALEC, Atlantic)
See the index [section 10] for a full list of help for SSE customers Sept 09 / Energy-plus
Care
0800 622 838
You can also apply by ringing Careline on 0800 622 838. /
- 20% reduction on current tariff.
- Energy efficiency Advice
- Free energy efficiency measures e.g. light bulbs to fridges.
- Benefit entitlement check.
- Winter Care Rebate Scheme
- Consumer spends more than 15% of income on energy bills.
- Type of property and its energy efficiency
- Income/benefits received.
- Disability/
/ Fresh Start
0845 2700 700 / Up to £211 for gas and electricity customers (based on average use of 20,500 kWh of gas and 3,300 kWh of electricity).Tariff equivalent to Discounted Energy online direct debit rates.
- Benefits check.
- Energy efficiency advice.
- 60 years of age or over
- On qualifying benefits.
/ Essentials Combined
0800 072 7100 option 3
For more details see under British Gas in section 9 of this leaflet /
- Equivalent to lowest online tariff – around 15% reduction on standard rates.
- Energy efficiency advice.
- Help to access benefits.
- Referral to charity partners.
- Specialist advice.
and
over 70 years old claiming Pension Credit
or claiming Disability Living Allowance
or claiming Attendance Allowance
or suffer from a chronic/terminal illness.
n.b. You will need to provide your Nat Ins No and details of the DWP office from which you are paid.
Energy Trust
01733 421 060 /
- Reduce or clear gas or electricity debt.
- Help with other essential household bills or costs.
/ Energy Assist
0800 269 450 /
- Direct debit rates plus anannual discount of £75 for dual fuel customers (pro-rata for single fuel customers).
- Free energy advice or discounted energy efficiency measures.
- Benefits entitlement check.
- Spend more than 10% of their income on energy costs.
- Are in receipt of Income Support and/or receive pension credit.
Energy Trust
01733 421 060 /
- Reduce or clear gas or electricity debt.
- Help with other essential household bills or costs.
/ Warm
Assist*
*Does not meet the official Ofgem criteria of a social tariff as it is not equivalent to their lowest available tariff
0800 404 6287 /
- 15 % reduction in standard prices.
- Personalised energy efficiency advice
- Free energy efficiency measures
- Benefits Entitlement check
- Energy savings pack
- Priority Service Register
and
In receipt of Pension Credit
* Note: spreading warmth can only be accessed through a third party agency such as CAB or Age Concern. / Spreading Warmth*
0808 172 6999
0800 975 1373 / Cheapest tariff regardless of payment method. Annual savings of over 20% for the average dual fuel cash / cheque and prepayment customer. / Annual income less than £13,500 and someone in household meets following criteria:
- Aged over 60
- Disabled
- Suffers a chronic illness
- A child under 16
First Steps
0808 172 6999
Text-phone
0845 603 0652. /
- Advice and help to customers struggling to pay their bills.
- A payment plan that suits the customers’ circumstances.
- First Step Fund, which could clear all or part of customer’s debt.
Others – [from Consumer Focus website]
Severn Trent Trust Fund – Tel: 0121 355 7766
Thames Water Trust Fund – Tel: 0845 456 6863
United Utilities Trust Fund – Tel: 0845 179 1791
Southern Water Trust Fund – Tel: 0845 270 0897
Can assist with gas and electric arrears if with E.ON for energy supplybut only if living in the Southern Water area.
Macmillan Cancer Support – Tel: 0800 500 800
SSAFA (Soldiers, Sailors Airman and Families Association) – Tel: 0845 130 0975
The British Kidney Patient Association - Tel: 0142 047 2021/2, or
Occupation Benevolent Fund Alliance – Tel: 0170 765 1777
Society for the Assistance of Ladies in Reduced Circumstances – Tel 0800 5874696
5.HOW TO GET HELP FROM THE GOVERNMENT WITH THE COSTS OF YOUR FUEL BILL AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS
- Winter Fuel Payment
What is it? A tax-free annual benefit, it is usually paid from November.
From 21 September 2009, the new regulations provide for an increase in winter fuel payments for winter 2009/2010 -for people aged 60 and over, from £200 to £250; and for people aged 80 or over, from £300 to £400.
Am I eligible? Those aged 60 or over and who normally live in the United Kingdom.
Apply by calling the Winter Fuel helpline: 08459 151 515.
- Cold Weather Payment
What is it? The payment is made when the average temperature is recorded as 0C (32F) or below over seven consecutive days. It is made automatically to those who qualify.
Am I eligible? You are entitled if you receive the following: pension credit or income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance and there is a child aged under five in your family.
- Warm Front Grant run by EAGA -
[includes changes made in April 2009]
Warm Front makes homes warmer, healthier and more energy-efficient. The Warm Front Scheme provides a package of insulation and heating improvements up to the value of £3,500 (or £6,000 if oil central heating is recommended). It is a Government-funded initiative and the scheme is managed by eaga. If you own your own home or rent it from a private landlord, you may be eligible for a grant under the Warm Front Scheme.If you have a query about the Warm Front Scheme, please contact or call freephone 0800 316 2805
The Department of Energy and Climate Change’s Warm Front scheme has been changed in April 2009 to improve the quality of service for its customers [see below]. Warm Front provides grants for people on qualifying disability or income related benefits to install insulation or energy efficient heating in their homes.
NOTE : “Eligible clients have to either own their own home or rent from a private landlord. They need to be in receipt of at least one qualifying benefit (please see info on the warm front website for assistance)
With regards to a heating system, we arrange for a survey to take place on the property. The assessor will ask the client a number of questions and have a look at the current heating system within the property. Under the Warm Front guidelines that have been setup by the Government department (DECC) we can only assist a household who has a broken down heating system or unreliable... It will be the assessor who makes the recommendation. I understand your concerns with regards efficient boilers however we have to follow the scheme the way the government asks. It is important to note that we are helping households that do not have any heating.”
Gavin McAuley|Partnership Development Officer|Managed Services Division eaga plc, eaga House, Archbold Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2
Tel: 07960042547l \: 14th August 2009.
Following a review of the contract with EAGA , the Warm Front scheme manager, a number of alterations have been agreed which will open the scheme up to greater competition to provide best value for money.
Households connected to the gas grid are now eligible for grants of up to £3500, up from £2700, while those in areas off the gas grid can apply for funding up to £6000, an increase of £2000.
These increases will take effect immediately, benefitting all new customers, and will also apply to Warm Front clients who have received approval for funding but are still waiting for the work to start. Funding to the Warm Front scheme has been increased by £174 million since September 2008, bringing total funding to £959 million for the three years to April 2011.
The scheme is also being expanded to include the installation of low-carbon heat and power technologies such as solar thermal heating and air source heat pumps, which will help householders generate their own low-cost, renewable energy. These technologies will initially be trialled in small-scale pilot programmes.
The grant increases will apply to all Warm Front work completed following applications made from today. They will also apply to all applications already in the Warm Front system, but where the work has not been started. This will ensure that those households currently in the system do not have to cancel their current application and reapply in order to have the benefit of the new grants.
Eaga will write to all customers who have paid a contribution but are still waiting for the work to begin, offering a refund on some or all of their costs. Eaga will also write to customers who have not continued their application because of the costs involved, informing them of the new grant levels.
- Heating Rebate Scheme
If you do not qualify for a Warm Front Grant because you do not receive the relevant benefit, you may be able to claim up to £300 to pay for installing or repairing a heating system under this scheme. You are eligible : if you are over 60 :you own your own home or rent it from a private landlord : you don’t get a warm front grant andyou do not have a central heating system or it is not working. To find out more ring 0800 316 6012.
- Health Through Warmth
- Health Through Warmth (HTW) works through locally based partnerships who try to help vulnerable people whose health is negatively affected by cold, damp living conditions. This is done by helping with the installation of appropriate energy efficiency and heating measures and byprovidingadvice and information.
- Clients are referred by health and other key community workers who have attended locally based awareness sessions offered by HTW. Vulnerable people are often the least likely to ask for help but by linking up with existing community workers they can be more easily identifiedso they can getpractical help and advice.
- There are a number of ways that funding for heating and insulation measures is made availableincluding grants, Health Through Warmth crisis fund, charities and client contribution.
- You do not have to be receiving anybenefitsto be eligiblefor this scheme.
- If you are interested, please ring 0113 395 7152
- Home Energy Saving Programme
What is it? A way of providing assistance to householders to make their homes more energy-efficient.. tel Energy Saving Trust helpline: 0800 512 012
- Community Energy Saving Programme
- What is it? A new service to be provided by local councils, voluntary organisations and energy companies. They will target some of the most deprived areas of the UK, carrying out house-to-house calls to offer help.
Tel Energy Saving Trust helpline: 0800 512 012
Energy Efficiency and other Grants:
For general help and information contact (during office hours):
- Energy Saving Trust helpline:
0800 512 012
- Leeds Fuelsavers: 0113 395 7159
- Green Doctor: The Green Doctor project is a free service for low income families in Leeds who may be suffering from fuel poverty. Green Doctors provide free energy efficiency advice and practical support to households, including help with accessing grants such as Health Through Warmth and Warm Front for other heating and insulation measures. Trained staff carry out initial home visits to assess the property and provide advice and support where necessary. Experienced technicians follow within 4-6 weeks to supply and install basic technical measures completely free of charge, including draught proofing, energy efficient light bulbs, reflective radiator panels, hot water tank jackets and power down plugs for TV units and computer stations.
Who can use the project: Households with children who pay more than 10% of their income on fuel are eligible for the Green Doctor service.
How to make a referral: The name, address and telephone details of interested families are required in order to proceed with a referral. Families can either self refer, or partners such as CAB and Children Centre staff can refer on behalf of the interested family. To make a referral please contact Groundwork Leeds on 0113 238 0601; or by completing the referral form sending it to Groundwork Leeds, Environment & Business Centre, Merlyn-Rees Avenue, Morley, Leeds, LS27 9SL; or by email to
6. HOW TO GET HELP FROM YOUR FUEL COMPANY WITH THE COSTS OF YOUR FUEL BILL AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS and FUEL DEBTS
E.On Caring Energy Fund
What is it? A scheme that aims to assist E.On customers who are low-income households facing financial difficulty and who may not be eligible for financial help from government schemes.
TheE.ON CaringEnergy Fund could offer the following assistance to successful applicants:
- payments in full or part to cover the cost of installing cavity wall insulation and/or loft insulation.
- payments in full or part to cover the cost of repairing or installing heating measures which in some cases could include repair of unsafe gas heating systems.
- payments in full or part could be made to cover the cost of household appliances.
How can I apply? Telephone 0800 051 1480.
British Gas Energy Trust
- What is it? The British Gas Energy Trust, which incorporates the Scottish Gas Energy Trust, gives grants to help individuals and families in need to meet arrears of energy charges and other household bills and costs. You must be a domestic customer of British Gas or Scottish Gas.
How can I apply? Telephone 01733 421021.
A winter fuel rebate is also available of up to £90 to British Gas's most vulnerable customers.
How can I apply? Telephone 0845 601 2006.
EDF Energy Trust Fund
What is it?
A charity that gives grants to people who have electricity, gas, telephone and, in some cases, other essential household bill debts. Funded by EDF, it gives grants, and financial/energy efficiency advice. You must be a domestic customer of London Energy, Seeboard Energy, Sweb Energy or EDF.
There are two types of grants. They are for:
- individuals to cover the payment of gas and electricity debts and other essential household bills or costs
- voluntary organisations working in the field of money advice, debt counselling or energy efficiency advice
How can I apply? Telephone 01733 333383
Fuel debts
Sch 9 para 6 SS(C&P) Regs
If you are in debt, an amount can be deducted from your benefit each week and paid over to the fuel company (mains gas or mains electricity)in installments – usually once a quarter. This is ‘fuel direct’. In return, the fuel company agrees not to disconnect you. Deductions can be made where:
the amount you owe is £64.30 or more (including reconnection or disconnection charges if you have been disconnected); and
you continue to need the fuel supply; and
it is in your, or your family's, interest to have deductions made.
An amount is deducted for the fuel you use each week (your current consumption) as well as for the arrears you owe. The amount deducted for current consumption is whatever is necessary to meet your current weekly fuel costs. This is adjusted if the cost increases or decreases. Deductions for current consumption can be continued after the debt has been cleared.