If the freezing weather’s giving you real problems with heating your home, do ring the Home Heat Helpline on 0800 33 66 99 (it’s free). This is an impartial and confidential service which helps you to find support with your heating costs. Although each case is different, the support which the helpline can identify is worth an average of £160 per household. The helpline can help callers claim rebates and grants (for new boilers or insulation) and it gives advice on saving energy. Advisers can also help you obtain advice on how to handle other debts or how to claim other benefits.
It is estimated that 10% of households are entitled to help with their fuel bills – with “not knowing what help can be given” being the major reason why households in difficulty don’t call up and ask for assistance. You can do a quick check on whether you are likely to be eligible for help on www.homeheathelpline.org.uk.
The Home Heat Helpline also reminds us of the standard advice on how to reduce our fuel bills:
-turn your thermostat down by 1?C could cut your heating bills by up to 10% and save you around £100 a year;
-turn radiators down in rooms which you only use occasionally;
-switch your lights off when you’re not using them;
-turn appliances like TVs and phone chargers off at the wall rather than leaving them on standby when they’re not being used;
-replace normal light bulbs with energy efficient ones;
-regularly defrost your freezer to make sure it’s operating at full efficiency;
-draw curtains over windows at night to provide insulation for the room;
-move furniture away from radiators and heaters to allow heat to circulate around the room
Home Heat Helpline
tel. 0800-33 66 99
www.homeheathelpline.org.uk
Follow the Home Heat Helpline on Twitter for added advice and updates @HHHelpline.