Helping households save money and keep warm

If you’re desperately worried about the cost of keeping your home warm this winter, or know people who having to choose whether to heat or eat, the free Energy Best Deal service may be able to help.
The Energy Best Deal campaign is run by national charity Citizens Advice with support from energy regulator Ofgem and offers a package of energy related advice for those who really need it.
Pembrokeshire CAB advisor Kellie Bellmaine (pictured) has been trained to hold workshops packed with vital information that helps people make their homes energy efficient, ensure they are claiming the right benefits and are on the best energy tariff for them.
The workshops are aimed at those who are most at risk of falling into fuel poverty, such as pensioners and those on low income as well as volunteers and professionals who provide support services for them.
Said Kellie: “If you work with vulnerable people and want to improve your own knowledge about energy efficiency or would like me to hold a workshop for the people you work with, please contact me and I’ll set up a workshop for you. All I need is a group of eight people or more and Energy Best Deal will fund the workshop costs.”
Kellie is also looking for volunteers to help her by providing administrative back up like sending out correspondence and taking phone calls. If you can spare six hours a week or more, do contact Kellie by emailing pembscabfincap@yahoo.co.uk
In early 2011, the Energy Best Deal campaign saw some 340 energy advice workshops delivered across England and Wales by Citizens Advice Bureaux and other agencies.
An independent evaluation in 2011 showed that 80 per cent of consumers said they would probably or definitely do something as a result of the workshop. Fifty per cent said they would contact their current energy supplier, 40 per cent said they would look at other energy suppliers’ prices, and 38 per cent said they would tell friends and family what they had learnt.
Sarah Harrison, Ofgem’s senior partner for sustainable development, said: “This evaluation shows the value of Energy Best Deal which is particularly critical given the recent increase in energy prices.
“Vulnerable customers need all the help they can get to get the best deal. Ofgem is pushing forward with reforms to the retail market which will make choosing a better deal easier for all consumers by removing complex tariffs. Easy to understand prices will help make Energy Best Deal even more effective at helping vulnerable consumers.”
Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: “Citizens Advice Bureaux are seeing a huge rise in the number of clients seeking help, with fuel debts expected to soar.
“This year alone, Citizens Advice Bureaux has dealt with more than 100,000 enquiries about fuel debt and the Citizens Advice website has seen a 78 per cent increase in the number of people viewing our advice on this issue. Energy Best Deal is a vital source of information for our clients who desperately need help to save money on their fuel costs.”
For CAB/Forum lead contacts in Pembrokeshire and for information on timings and locations of sessions contact Kellie Bellmaine on email at pembscabfincap@yahoo.co.uk
For further information about the campaign, please go to www.citizensadvice.org.uk/.../fsfl_projects_energybestdeal.htm
Source www.tenby-today.co.uk/