Fuel Poverty

What is Fuel Poverty? 

Fuel poverty in England is measured using the Low Income Low Energy Efficiency (LILEE) indicator.  

 A household is fuel poor if:  

  • The household has a residual income below the poverty line (after accounting for required energy costs).    

  • The household lives in a property with an energy efficiency rating below band C, as determined by the Fuel Poverty Energy Efficiency Rating Methodology (FPEER). 

Coping with rising energy bills 

Make sure you’re getting the best deal on gas and electricity. The way you pay for your gas and electricity also has an impact on the amount it costs. Buying both gas and electricity from the same supplier can cost less. Paying by monthly direct debit rather than quarterly bill usually saves you money. Some suppliers offer benefits such as money off future bills for switching to paperless bills. Gas and electricity can be more expensive if you use a pre-payment meter. Some energy companies offer you the chance to fix your energy prices over a certain period of time. This means your bills will not go up if the price of electricity or gas goes up – but remember that they will still go up if you use more energy. 

Coping with the rising energy bills in the current market can be difficult, therefore taking some of the following steps can help avoid fuel debt:  

  • Only pay for the electricity and gas that you actually use therefore provide regular meter reads or have a smart meter installed to do that job for you. 

  • Choose the right payment method, certain methods offer discounts. Paying by monthly direct debit can attract a discount as can opting for paperless billing. 

Take advice on choosing an energy provider. Switching providers and choosing a fixed term tariff can help you get a better energy tariff. DDC offer a supported no obligation to switch scheme. To find out more please visist the Collective Energy Switching Scheme 

Alternativly, energy switching options are available through Ofgem accredited comparison sites. To find out more please visist the Ofgem Switch supplier or energy tariff 

 

If you are worried about keeping up with your rent repayments there are a lot of organisations who can offer free and impartial advice: 

  • A good place to start for help if you begin to struggle is the Citizens Advice website. 

  • Kent Money Advice is a scheme operated by Citizens Advice and is supporting people living in kent who are struggling financially or need support to manage the rising cost of living through its new Money Advice Hub. The service is free to use. 

  • Household Support Fund - Dover District Council has received funding from Kent County Council to support households who would otherwise struggle to buy food or pay essential utility bills or meet other essential living costs of housing costs this winter as the economy recovers 

  • The StepChange Debt Charity offer solutions via its online debt counselling service Debt Remedy. 

  • The National Debtline offer free, independent advice. 

  • Kent Savers - call them 0333 321 9050 (Mon-Fri 9am to 5pm) or 0300 456 9990 from 5pm to 8pm, and weekends from 8am to 8pm 

  • Money Advice Service: moneyadviceservice.org.uk or call 0300 500 5000 

  • Loansharks Advice - visit www.direct.gov.uk/stoploansharks  

  • Could you be eligible for a free or reduced TV licence? Did you know,  you can spread the cost monthly or fortnightly? - visit TV Licensing make sure in table  

How to read your gas or electricity meter 

If you have a standard meter - your supplier needs regular readings from your gas or electricity meter to work out your bills. If you don’t send them readings, they’ll estimate your usage. This means your bill might be too high or low. 

Energy Tips 

Energy prices are currently higher than they have been for a long time, and although small measures are not going to undo the huge rises in cost you may be witnessing , the following tips will help to save the pounds and can soon add up. 

Be efficient around the home 

Here are a few things that you should consider around the home: 

  • Turning down your thermostat by 1oC could save you up to £55 a year. 

  • You can save around £35 a year just by remembering to turn your devices off standby mode. Most electronic devices can be turned off at the mains without affecting their programming. 

  • Consider having a smart meter installed if your supplier offers it. This helps to indicate where you are spending the most on your energy, so you can take steps to cut down the usage in them areas where possible. 

  • Changing all your standard light bulbs to energy saving light bulbs could save you up to £45 a year. Remember to switch off lights when not required or leaving a room too. 

Sharpen up in the kitchen 

The Kitchen is a great start where you can make subtle changes to help reduce your energy bills: 

  • Using your dishwasher one cycle less per week could save £8 a year on energy. 

  • Using your washing machine one cycle less per week could save £8 a year on energy. 

  • Only filling the kettle with the amount of water you require will save around £6 a year. 

  • Look to use the most energy efficient appliances to ensure you are not spending more than you need to. 

  • Washing your clothes at 30-40oC will save you money as 90% of a washing machine’s energy is used heating the water. 

  • Choose the right size pan for cooking and use the lid. Choose the right size ring to fit the pan or turn down the gas. Keeping pans covered will also help reduce condensation which can cause mould growth and spoil decorations.                                                         

Be smart in the bathroom 

Personal hygiene is important for helping to keep your body healthy and clean, but you can still make small changes to reduce your energy usage for this daily activity: 

  • Reducing your shower time by 1 minute could save you £4 per year 

  • Replacing an older inefficient shower head with a water efficient one could save £28 off your gas bills and around £47 off your water bills each year  (based on a family of four, with a water meter). 

Help with heating/boiler repairs and insulation 

There are funding streams that DDC can access for households that live in the least energy efficient homes and have inadequate heating or lack insulation. These schemes are focussed on helping residents on a low income who are vulnerable to living in a cold home (elderly/ health conditions) or in receipt of certain benefits.  

If you think you may be eligible, please call 01304 872414 or email energy@dover.gov.uk 

 

Help with your energy bills 

Every household in the UK will get £400 towards energy bills this winter. You don't need to apply, the money will be paid automatically in six instalments between October 2022 and March 2023 and you won't need to pay the money back. 

This year anyone that normally gets the winter fuel payment for pensioners will get an extra one off-payment of £300. This will be paid automatically. Visit our discount and energy grant schemes page for information about other ways you can save money. 

If you are unable to pay your energy bills, please visit our Energy page for advice. 

 

Government energy support this winter 

Eligibility 

All households with a domestic electricity connection in England, Scotland and Wales are eligible for the discount. 

If your circumstances change 

You’ll still get the discount if: 

  • you change your payment method 

  • you change your tariff 

  • you switch electricity supplier 

  • you move to a new address 

  • your supplier goes bust 

  • you’re in arrears on your electricity bill payments 

  How you’ll get the discount 

  You do not need to apply for the discount, and there’s no need to contact your energy supplier. 

  The discount will be applied to your monthly household electricity bill for 6 months starting in October 2022. You’ll      get 

  • £66 in October and November 

  • £67 in December, January, February and March 

 You’ll get the discount monthly, even if you pay for your energy quarterly or use a payment card. 

 

Traditional prepayment meter users will get equivalent vouchers that you will need to redeem - Click the below link for more information.

 If you have a traditional prepayment meter 

 

Your electricity supplier should provide more guidance on the scheme before it starts. 

 If you have not received your first instalment by the end of October 2022, you need to contact your supplier. 

 

If you’re a direct debit customer 

You’ll get the discount automatically in one of the following ways, as: 

  • a reduction to your monthly direct debit amount 

  • a refund to your bank account following the monthly direct debit collection 

If you pay by standard credit or payment card 

Your discount will be automatically applied as a credit to your account in the first week of each month. The credit will appear as it would if you had made a payment. 

 

If you have a smart prepayment meter: 

Your discount will be credited directly to your smart prepayment meter in the first week of each month. 

 

If you have a traditional prepayment meter: 

You’ll get the discount from the first week of each month. You’ll get the discount automatically in one of the following ways, as: 

  • redeemable vouchers, sent by SMS text, email or post 

  • an automatic credit when you top up at your usual top up point 

Your electricity supplier will let you know in advance how you will get your discount. 

Your supplier should have your contact details, but if you’re not sure or you don’t receive any information from them, you should check that they have your latest number and email. 

If you get vouchers you’ll need to redeem them at a top-up point. Your supplier will tell you where to redeem them, for example at a Post Office branch or a PayPoint shop. 

Payzone outlets are unable to accept the vouchers. 

 

Other help  

If you’re in debt to your energy supplier, you might be able to get a grant to help pay it off. For more information on paying it off visit Citizens Advice. You may be able to get other kinds of support, including: 

Advice from our partners

 

Citizen’s Advice  

Dover, Deal and District Citizens’ Advice can help with employment issues, debts, housing, applying for benefits, food vouchers, immigration issues, tax, consumer issues, financial matters, relationship and family issues.  They can help with benefit appeals.  They have a team of people at the end of the phone and can access directly legal help when needed.   

 

Kent Fire & Rescue Save Safely 

If you’re thinking about doing things differently at home to bring down the price of energy bills, it’s important to remember do so safely. This can include thinking about the hazards that come with changing your usual routine.  

To find out more about energy saving tips, heating hazards and financial advice follow this link  Savesafely | Kent Fire and Rescue Service (fire-uk.org) 

 

Green Doctors 

Green Doctors offer free, impartial advice to help you take control of your bills, save energy where possible in the home, and access other services and initiatives available. 

They can provide different kinds of support, whether that’s advice on paying off debt with energy or water companies or spotting other concerns for a referral to other services. 

Some of the reasons people ask them for help are: 

  • Struggling to pay energy bills. 

  • Finding it hard to manage fuel debt. 

  • Worrying about keeping warm or choosing between eating and heating. 

  • Feeling that the home is cold, damp, or draughty. 

  • Respiratory problems e.g. asthma or a persistent cough 

To visit their website click the below link:

 Green Doctor, helping UK residents stay warm, stay well, and save energy. - Groundwork 

  

 

Contact Us 

Tel: 01304 872414 

E-mail: energy@dover.gov.uk