Wherever you go you will hear people talking about the rising cost of something or other. With the current state of the economy it is hard to escape. Now it looks like the UK will enter into another recession this year people are beginning to panic already about how they are going to afford to live. One of the biggest concerns during the current cold spell is the cost of our fuel bills.
The facts:
Energy bills are rising, wholesale prices are driving prices up and the average household bill has increased by a whopping 73% since 2005. In the same time period, the average household income has only increased by 20%.
Seven million people are thought to be living in fuel poverty. This is defined as when 10% or more of your total income goes towards paying for fuel. ?An estimated 2,700 people die each year from fuel poverty. The Coalition Government want to end fuel poverty by 2016.
What can you do?
Whether you are technically in fuel poverty, or you are simply struggling to juggle your bills, there are plenty of places for you to go in order to seek assistance. Here are a few:
Provider ? always go to your energy provider as your first port of call to see what assistance they can offer you.
WarmFront ? this is a grant scheme available in England and they provide funds towards insulation and heating in privately owned or rented properties. They also offer advice on energy saving and can provide free low-energy light bulbs. There are also similar grants available in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Home Heat Helpline ? this is a free helpline that advises people who are worried about paying their bills and keeping their homes warm this winter. If you are on low income, this will give you urgent help and advice. You can contact them on 0800 33 66 99.
What next?
If you are in a debt plan you need to make sure your budget sufficiently covers your utility bills in order to avoid getting into arrears.
Always read your meter and never rely on ?estimated? bills. You could be paying for more than you need to, so always check.
Use price comparison sites and see if you can switch to another provider to save you money. This doesn?t always work out, but it doesn?t hurt to check.
Written by Gemma on March 12th, 2012
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