Stuart Anderson MP said:
The new year has brought with it the news of rising energy prices, as the Energy Price Cap has increased by a further £21. This will be worrying for many residents across South Shropshire. When added to October's increase, it means the cap on typical annual bills has risen by £170 since October – an increase of more than 10 per cent. Energy bills are something that we all care about. So this Energy Saver's Week, I want to ensure vulnerable households get the support and information they need to keep them as low as possible. I have designed this guide to help you save money on your energy bills - with useful information, tips, and guidance on energy tariffs, home insulation, and others ways in which to make your home more energy efficient.
RTS Call to Action: Calling All Residents – Radio Teleswitch Service Switch-Off and Upgrade Programme
650,000 people in Great Britain have electricity meters using the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS). RTS uses a radio signal to tell some older electricity meters when to switch between peak and off-peak rates. Introduced in the 1980s, it has has reached the end of its operational life. It is being switched off from 30th June 2025. This is because the equipment that produces the radio signal can no longer be adequately maintained and consumes a lot of electricity when compared to more modern communications networks. Energy regulator, Ofgem, expects energy suppliers to replace RTS electricity meters, where possible, with smart meters. They give consumers a wider variety of tariffs and greater control over their usage.
It’s likely that you have an RTS electricity meter if:
- There may be a separate switch box near your meter with a radio teleswitch label on it - especially if your property uses electricity for heating, lacks a gas supply, or benefits from cheaper energy rates at different times of the day.
- The property is heated using electric storage systems, panel heaters, or immersion heaters.
- There is no gas supply to the area. This includes premises in rural areas.
- You get cheaper energy at different times of day.
- Your tariff might be: Economy 7, Economy 10, or Total Heat Total Control.
If you think you have RTS equipment in your business premises or home, you should:
- Book an appointment for a new meter: Ofgem expects all energy suppliers to replace RTS electricity meters before the service ends.
- Keep an eye open for the offer of a replacement from your energy supplier.
- Contact your energy supplier: If you want to check if you have an RTS electricity meter or want to schedule your new meter installation.
Suppliers are contacting impacted consumers to arrange to change their meter before the RTS shutdown starts on 30 June 2025. Not replacing an RTS electricity meter could disrupt your heating and hot water or lead to higher electricity costs. For more information, contact your energy supplier and ensure a smooth transition before the 30th June 2025 deadline. You can find more information here.
Retrofitting
Nearly nine million homes in England were built before 1945, but older homes can be made more energy efficient with a few simple steps outlined here. If you own a property in England or Wales you can get recommendations for home improvements that could make your property cheaper to heat and keep warm For each recommendation you can see an estimated cost of making the improvement; how much you could save on your bills; and next steps if you want to make the improvement.
Smart Meters
Smart meters show near real time energy usage in a clear format. Rather than kilowatt hours which often cause confusion, pounds and pence are shown so that you can keep a close eye on how much energy you are using. This will bring an end to the use of 'estimated billing' by energy companies and you will only be charged for the actual energy used. Energy suppliers are responsible for their installation. They will contact you about installing one or you can contact them and start saving.
Cavity Wall Insulation
Approximately one third of heat lost in an ininsulated home is through the walls. Insulating your walls is a very cost-effective way of saving money and energy in your home. If your hose was built between the 1920's and 1990's, then insulating your walls could save you £115 on your annual heating bills and 910kg in CO2 savings per year for a semi-detached property. Not all homes can be insulated in this way. If your home is a solid wall construction or was built before the 1920's, you may wish to consider installing internal or external wall insulation which could also save your money.
Loft Insulation
A quarter of heat is lost through the roof in an uninsulated home. Insulating your loft with 270mm of insulation could save you up to £135 per year in a semi-detached property - as well as 580kg of CO2 savings annually. Some energy companies offer free cavity wall and lofe insulation. So, check your provider here.
Check your Boiler
If your boiler is over 15 years old, then it could be time to replace it with a new, energy efficient one. Replacing an old boiler with an A-rated condensing model with a full set of heating controls could save you a quarter of your annual heating bill immediately. This is £142 on average for a gas heated home.
Energy Saving Trust
When buying new electrical products, look for the Energy Saving Trust logo. This is a quick and simple way of finding the most energy efficient products. Electrical appliances such as lighting products will have this logo prominently displayed.
Insulate your Hot Water Tank
An insulating jacket for a hot water tank does not cost very much and very soon pays for itself! Topping up your hot water tank insulation from 25mm to 80mm thick, using a British Standard jacket, could save you £18 a year - more than the cost!
Energy Efficient Light Bulbs
Energy saving bulbs last up to 10 times as long as regular bulbs. If you replace all your bulbs with energy efficient ones, you could save up to £7 per bulb each year.
Switching Energy Supplier
You could save money by switching to another energy supplier that is best suited to your needs. In order to get advice on which supplier and price plan would be best for you, you can visit www.ofgem.gov.uk or contact Citizen's Advice. They will provide you with free and impartial advice - as well as information on how to choose and change energy suppliers. They also have lots of advice on their website and can be contacted over the phone or through webchat.
Energy companies also offer other forms of assistance. If you are having trouble paying your bills or worried about the cost, you should get in touch with your energy supplier as soon as possible to see what is on offer. Many energy companies offer trust funds and grant schemes which can help with:
- White goods
- Unpaid utility bills
- Energy efficiency upgrades
- Priorty Service Register
Energy suppliers are obliged to place customers in the chapest tariff - helping them to save money on their bills.
Priority Service Register
If you are disabled, have a long-term illness, or over the Pension Age, you can ask your energy supplier about the Priority Service Register. This would enable you to get help with annual gas safety checks, meter readings, priority treatment in an emergency and, most importantly, means that you cannot have your utilities disconnected during the winter.
Government Support
Energy Price Cap
Research found that consumers have been overpaying by £1.4 billion a year, stuck on expensive tariffs. Since being introduced in 2019, the Energy Price Cap has protected around 15 million households on default tariffs from overpaying for their gas and electricity. Ofgem must review the level of the cap at least once every six months to ensure people who do not shop around for better deals are protected from paying over the odds. The cap has saved families on default energy tariffs around £75 to £100 on dual fuel bills, although the best deals are still to be found by switching suppliers. The cap limits the amount energy suppliers can charge for each unit of gas and electricity, as well as the maximum standing charge consumers pay for access to the grid.
Cold Weather Payments
This is a payment that is made to help you with the cost of heating during the winter months, depending on if you are already in receipt of other benefits. You may be entitled to Cold Weather Payments if you receive
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit
You do not need to apply for Cold Weather Payments. They will be automatically paid into the same bank account as your other benefit payments. A payment of £25 is made for each seven day period of cold weather between 1st November and 31st March. Payments will be made when the local temperature is either:
- Recorded as an average of zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days
- Forecast to be an average of zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive eays.
If you do not receive a Cold Weather Payment when you are entitled, you should contct either your pension centre or Jobcentre Plus.
Connected for Warmth Insulation Scheme
The Connected for Warmth insulation scheme is an award-winning grant programme that provides free or fully-funded energy efficiency measures for homes. It can help reduce energy use and heating bills. If your home is in council tax band A, B, C or D, you might be eligible for free loft or cavity wall insulation. If you own your home, you can apply for the scheme via their website.
Home Upgrade Grant
The Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) delivers energy efficiency upgrades to low-income households living in the least energy efficient homes off the gas grid. To date, £1.1 billion has been allcated and is being delivered from 2022 to March 2025. Shropshire Council’s Affordable Warmth and Energy Efficiency Team are set to support over 350 vulnerable and at-risk residents to improve insulation and install more efficient heating systems - with investments set to total over £6 million. The scheme is currently closed for new applications. However, residents can express their interest and register for updates about future schemes coming in 2025 at www.shropshire.gov.uk/awee.
Energy Company Obligation
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme has installed 3.8 million measures in 2.5 million homes since it was launched in 2013. We estimate around 450,000 will be supported via the Scheme from April 2022 to March 2026. ECO4 is the latest iteration of the scheme. It runs from 2022-2026 at a value of £4 billion. ECO does not provide direct financial support. Households must be on relevant means-tested benefits or identified by their local authority or energy supplier as vulnerable. Homes must also be in specified energy efficiency bands. ECO4 includes flexible eligibility (ECO Flex), which allows households to be referred even if they do not meet the eligible benefits criteria. Over the 12 months to the end of June 2023, there were around 143,500 ECO4 measures installed.
Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS)
The Government launched the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) in 2023 to support the delivery of the most cost-effective insulation to a wider pool of households. It is expected to help some 300,000 of the country’s least energy efficient homes by March 2026, requiring little or no contribution. Households could save £300-£400 each year as part of a £1 billion energy efficiency programme by March 2026. As of March 2024, there have already been over 120,000 referrals.
Energy Saving Materials
At Spring Statement 2022, it was announced that the installation of qualifying energy saving materials (such as insulation, solar panels and heat pumps) in residential accommodation in Great Britain would benefit from a temporary VAT zero rate until 31 March 2027, after which they will revert to the reduced rate of VAT at five per cent. This support is worth around £915 million over the next four years and should be a practical lever for encouraging installation of qualifying materials - making it cheaper for people to invest in their properties and reduce their energy usage. Homeowners cannot buy or install the materials themselves.
Warm Home Discount
The Warm Home Discount scheme obligates participating energy suppliers to provide low-income and vulnerable households across Great Britain with a £150 rebate off their winter energy bill. From 2022, the Government extended the Discount to support more households who have low incomes and live in homes that are costly to heat. An estimated £550 million has been spent this winter as part of the Warm Home Discount to support three million households, around a million more households compared with the previous scheme.
Winter Fuel Payments
If you were born before 23 September 1958 you could get either £200 or £300 to help you pay your heating bills for winter 2024 to 2025. You must also live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland and get one of the following:
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income Support
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
Cold Weather Payments
Cold Weather Payments (CWP) are available to help vulnerable people in receipt of certain income-related benefits in England and Wales to meet additional heating costs during periods of unseasonably cold weather between 1 November and 31 March. It is targeted at those in receipt of eligible benefits with a pension element or disability component, or where there is a child under five in the household. Those eligible will automatically receive £25 when the average temperature recorded at the weather station linked to their postcode has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0° C or below over seven consecutive days. Over 1.1 million £25 Cold Weather Payments have been made to households in England and Wales.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)
The Government has set an ambition of 600,000 heat pump installations per year by 2028. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) provides upfront grants to property owners in England and Wales to replace existing fossil fuel heating with a low carbon heating system such as air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, and biomass boilers in domestic and small non-domestic buildings. In October 2023, the Government increased the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant for heat pumps to £7,500. There were 2,380 applications for heat pump grants in April 2024 - up 93% on the same month last year. As of May 2024, there have been more than 40,000 applications in total, with the scheme having paid out over 25,000 grants, with more than £148 million issued. VAT has been eliminated on heat pump installations until 2027 as an ESM. In November 2024, the Government announced it is adding £30 million for the rest of this financial year and doubling the budget for the next financial year to £295 million.
Warm Homes: Local Grant
The government has announced a new Warm Homes: Local Grant to help low-income homeowners and private tenants with energy performance upgrades and cleaner heating, and confirmed the continuation of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, as well as the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, which replaces the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, to support social housing providers and tenants. It kickstarts delivery of the government’s Warm Homes Plan, which will transform homes across the country by making them cleaner and cheaper to run, from installing new insulation to rolling out solar and heat pumps, The expression of interest window for local authorities wishing to participate will open in October this year. Low-income, private tenants will be eligible for support, with the agreement of their landlord. Private tenants are also eligible for support under the Energy Company Obligation. Further details of the Warm Homes Plan will be set out through the Spending Review.
Other Support:
Keep Shropshire Warm
Keep Shropshire Warm is a free and impartial energy advice service for Shropshire residents, run by local charity Marches Energy Agency. It offers in-depth advice to residents via home visits, at events, and over the phone. Marches Energy Association (MEA) manage Shropshire Council’s free and impartial energy advice service, Keep Shropshire Warm, to offer free and impartial advice and support on a wide range of energy issues - including supporting residents to apply for financial support and energy efficiency grants. If you are struggling to pay your energy bills or are worried about rising bills the team can help, get in touch with the team by calling their helpline 0800 112 3743 or email [email protected] for free and impartial advice. MEA have also put together a detailed guide on how you can stay warm and well this winter, the leaflet includes lots of energy saving tips and support with bills and suppliers. https://mea.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/KSW-Winter-worries-and-wisdom-leaflet.pdf
Charis Park Homes Warm Home Discount Scheme
This offers financial stability and peace of mind to vulnerable households in off-grid communities. With a fair proportion of funding still available, I urge all eligible residents to submit applications as soon as possible.
RABI Winter Fuel Grant
Supporting low-income farming people with their personal finances, as well as all eligible farming people during times of financial crisis, RABI awards around £3million of direct financial support each year. In addition, RABI runs targeted campaigns aimed at crisis support, such as the Return To School and Winter Fuel Grant cost of living campaigns.
- If you live in an older building and want to save on energy bills or cut carbon emissions, Historic England's webpage summarises what to do. They have listed options in order of priority, considering their benefits, costs and technical risks.
- An independent charity, Age UK provides information and advice for elderly people about a wide range of issues. They can refer you to their Warm Homes Programme and other organisations that can provide practical help.
- When you buy goods or services, the law gives you consumer rights. Citizen's Advice Consumer Helpline can help you from being treated unfairly by a trader.
- Money Helper is an advice helpline, backed by the government, that can provide elderly people with advice on benefits to which they may be entitled.
- Energy Saving Trust is a national non-profit organisation providing free and impartial information and advice on how to improve energy efficiency in your home. It is linked to a network of local advice centres.
- Gas Safe Register is the official body for gas safety. They can provide you with advice on gas appliances as well as having a clear register of all reputable companies involved in the fiel of supplying gas.
- Contact the Energy Ombudsman if you have a problem or complaint that cannot be resolved by your energy supplier. In the first instance, you should always contact your energy supplier. Only when they have exhausted their complaints procedures should you contact the Ombudsman.
- Ofgem is the government regulator for the gas and electricity markets. Its purpose is to protect consumers and does offer consumer advice on its website.
