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Member of Parliament for Bradford East@DavidWardMP on Twitter and Facebook |
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David Ward MP <>
MP backs Big Energy Savings Week
October 24, 2012 3:43 PM
Bradford MP David Ward is giving his support to a major campaign to raise awareness of the ways that consumers can cut their energy costs and save money.
Big Energy Savings Week (22nd-28th October) will help people to find new ways of lowering their energy bills by holding drop-in sessions at Citizens Advice Bureaus across the country. Bradford MP, David Ward, will be supporting the Citizen Advice Bureau in Bradford to help families save energy.
In addition to support from Citizens Advice Bureaus, people in Bradford can get advice from the Energy Saving Advice Service (ESAS - 0300 123 1234) on how to reduce bills and make homes more energy efficient. It also gives details on eligibility for the Green Deal as well as Warm Front and other schemes to support people struggling with their energy bills.
Commenting David said:
"Energy bills are a big worry for people in Bradford but there is help available to make homes warmer and bills lower.
"Citizens Advice Bureaus can advise on any financial support that people might be entitled to and switching to cheaper energy providers is an important step to lowering bills.
"One of the problems we face is that many homes are not insulated properly, meaning energy is wasted. Thanks to Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government, the Green Deal is launching this autumn to insulate homes without any up-front cost.
"The Green Deal is a unique scheme because the cost of the energy saving measures will be paid out of the savings made on the energy bill. That means people can make their homes warmer without any worries."
The Big Energy Savings Week is co-ordinated by Citizens Advice, supported by funding from the six largest energy suppliers negotiated by the Coalition Government earlier this year.
The campaign brings together consumer groups, the Energy Saving Trust, Third Sector organisations, Government and Ofgem to help consumers find out how they can lower their energy bills.
Citizens Advice and its partners aim to reach around 50m people through this campaign, including around 400 events in communities throughout the country, with a particular emphasis on reaching vulnerable consumers.
The Green Deal will let householders pay for a wide range of energy saving home improvements including insulation through savings expected to be made on their energy bills.
Since 1 October 2012 authorised Green Deal assessors and providers can offer 'whole house' property assessments and discuss packages of improvements with householders. From 28 January 2013 Green Deal finance plans may be agreed.
The Warm Front scheme is free for most people who are eligible for the scheme, with grants available worth up to £3,500 (for homes with mains gas) and £6,000 (for homes off the gas grid). In September, the Coalition Government changed the eligibility rules meaning even more people can access this help, with a budget of up to £100m this year.
The Warm Home Discount scheme will help around 2m low income and vulnerable households with their energy costs. This includes more than 1m of the poorest pensioners, who will receive an automatic £130 discount on their electricity bill by 31December 2012. More than a million pensioners will receive a letter telling them they will receive the discount automatically and do not need to claim.