What Householders Can Do

What you can do?

Almost half of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions come from things we all do every day.

Heating accounts for 60% of your home’s energy use; hot water for 23%; cooking for 3%; lighting 3%; and appliances, consumer electronics and computers account for 11%. Any savings that you can make will soon start to add up.

The Energy Saving Trust recommend following their top ten tips to save energy:

  1. Switch off standby - turn electrical appliances off at the plug
  2. In the kitchen – save water by using a washing up bowl, instead of leaving the tap running continuously whilst washing your dishes; only fill the kettle with the amount of water that you need
  3. Fit a water efficient shower head if your shower takes water from the boiler or a hot water tank
  4. Spend one minute less in the shower
  5. Draught proof windows, doors and gaps around floors and skirting boards
  6. Take control of your heating - having room thermostat, programmer and thermostatic radiator valves will help save money, turn down your room thermostat by 1 degree and only put heating and hot water on when you need them.
  7. Use smart heating controls
  8. Switch to LED bulbs and spotlights and turn off lights when you aren't using them
  9. Install cavity wall insulation or solid wall insulation when applicable
  10. Top up your loft insulation to 270mm

Is there any help towards the cost?

You can call the Hitting the Cold Spots team at the Environment Centre on 0800 804 8601 for free impartial advice on advice about keeping your home warm and to find out about any grants that may be available to you.

Flexible Eligibility Statement of Intent

Energy companies of a certain size are required to put funding towards energy efficiency measures – this is called the Energy Company Obligation (ECO).  The Council can set criteria under the Flexible eligibility option to direct assistance towards local private sector homes at risk of fuel poverty who are not covered under the normal rules.

The Council has produced a Statement of Intent setting out how it proposes to use the Flexibility Eligibility element of ECO to support and assist fuel poor households and those at risk from cold homes.  This document is available for download from this page.

 

Further Information

The Government has launched a website to provide independent and impartial energy advice, with advice via phone also available.  Please see their website at https://www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency for more details.

If you are considering making alterations to your home it is important to find out whether or not you will need to apply for consent/permission for example through Building Regulations or Planning Permission. If the alterations would be to a listed building you may also need Listed Building Consent for any works. If Planning Permission or Listed Building Consent is needed, you could also seek pre-application advice for the works.

Next Steps

If you have done all you can to make your home energy efficient and you are interested in making more CO2 savings you may like to consider generating your own energy from renewable sources such as from the wind, sun or wood.

Please see the Renewable Energy Web page for more information.

External links

Test Valley Borough Council does not necessarily endorse or recommend any of the links or services below.  Please note: when you follow these links you will leave this site.

The Environment Centre www.environmentcentre.com        

Hitting the Cold Spots - https://www.hants.gov.uk/coldspots
The Energy Saving Trust - http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

Warm Home Discount Scheme

Some energy suppliers offer certain customers on low incomes £140 off their electricity bill for winter 2021 to 2022 under the Warm Home Discount Scheme through central government. The money is not paid to you - it’s a one-off discount on your electricity bill, between October and March that is paid directly from the government to your utility company. Find out more at Warm Home Discount

Scheme: www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme

Priority Services Register

Priority Services Register is a free support service offered by energy suppliers

and network operators. It is to help people in vulnerable situations. Each keeps their own register. You need to contact your energy supplier or network operator to get on the register.

For example they will provide you with advance notice of planned power cuts,

help with meter reading services, etc. For more information please visit the Getting extra help with the Priority Services Register | Ofgem

Help with high energy bills

If you are struggling to pay for energy or think you may get into difficulty, contact your supplier. Government regulations means that suppliers must offer payment plans you can afford and you can ask for ‘emergency credit’ if you use a prepay meter and can’t top up.