Stuart Anderson MP is supporting Big Energy Saving Winter, an annual campaign that promotes advice and assistance available for consumers on their energy bills. It runs from November to the end of January and seeks to help people cut their energy bills and get support they are entitled to. The campaign is run by Citizens Advice and Energy Saving Trust in collaboration with the Government’s Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy and with the support of numerous organisations, charities and companies. Stuart is running a three-month communications campaign to help his constituents identify support to save on utility bills and install energy efficiency measures, such as insulation.
Buildings are responsible for around 30 per cent of national emissions, so Stuart is asking constituents to do three things in the coming months; check they aren’t paying too much for energy or missing out on support that could help lower costs; find out how they could potentially save hundreds of pounds by switching their energy tariff or supplier; and make their home more energy efficient by exploring the range of grants at www.simpleenergyadvice.org.uk/grants or contact the government-funded Energy Saving Advice Service for independent advice on a range of energy efficiency support: 0300 123 1234.
In his formal submission to the Budget last month, Stuart called on the Government to put extra support in place. He welcomed its decision to retain the Energy Price Cap, saving 15 million households up to £100 a year. More than half of customers are still on standard variable or default tariffs where, in the absence of the cap, they would likely still be paying excessive charges for energy use. Stuart is also raising awareness about measures such as the Winter Home Discount, which will give low-income families and pensioners a £140 discount on their energy bill, and Winter Fuel Payments, which gives older people up to £300 to help with heating bills. There is also a Household Support Fund, £2 million of which for Wolverhampton. Stuart has also created an energy saving guide designed to support constituents. You can access it at the bottom of this page,
The Government will invest over £4 billion of new funding for decarbonising heat and buildings from 2022 to 2025. This includes a new £450 million three-year Boiler Upgrade Scheme which will see households offered grants of up to £5,000 for low-carbon heating systems, such as a heat pump, so they cost the same as a gas boiler now. £1.75 billion will be provided for the Social Housing Decarbonisation Scheme and Home Upgrade Grants, with £1.425 billion for Public Sector Decarbonisation which has the aim of reducing emissions from public sector buildings by 75 per cent by 2037.
Stuart Anderson MP said: “I am proud to support the Big Energy Saving Winter. This is a great initiative which promotes the everyday actions that we can all take to save energy, money, and the environment. Simple changes such as switching energy supplier or tariff, accessing discounts or grants, and making homes more energy-efficient can help make a big difference. Encouraging home energy efficiency is crucial if we are to meet net zero greenhouse gas emissions, so I welcome the Government's work on this issue, with over £4 billion funding to decarbonise heat and buildings from 2022 to 2025.”