The Government has launched an £18m campaign to raise awareness of low and no-cost measures households can take to save energy this winter and in the long-term.
The ‘It All Adds Up’ campaign has launched on a new website and promotes some of the Government’s top recommended actions to help households save money on their energy bills including:
- Reducing the temperature a boiler heats water to before it is sent to radiators (known as the boiler flow temperature) from 75⁰C to 60⁰C which will not reduce the temperature of your home but could save around £100 annually.
- Turning appliances off at the plug which could save approximately £70 per year.
- Reducing heating loss from the property such as putting draught excluders around doors or by adding clear film across windows which could save around £60 a year.
The campaign runs alongside the Government’s Help for Households campaign which highlights financial support available for energy bills, childcare and transport among other costs.
Commenting on this Mr Jones said: “The Government has put in place billions of pounds of support for households facing higher energy bills this winter. I welcome this though it is also important to look at how we can all reduce our consumption. Lower consumption equals lower bills though also lower carbon emissions and lower demand on the grid at peak times.”
The Government is also backing several schemes to help households boost their home’s energy efficiency to lower bills. In 2010 14 per cent of homes had an efficiency rating of C or above. This figure is now 46 per cent and rising.
The majority of Government support schemes target those on low-income and vulnerable households with lower efficiency ratings. Schemes include the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, Home Upgrade Grant and Local Authority Delivery scheme. Households should contact their energy providers for advice on potential schemes open to them.
The Government is also improving energy efficiency in public buildings through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme which has recently funded new heat pump boilers and solar panels at the Hydro and LED lighting at the Harrogate Convention Centre.
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