CAB advisers available to help householders switch to cheaper energy bills

If you want to find out if you can get a better deal elsewhere, but don’t know where to start, your local Citizens Advice Bureau can help.

With the recent cold spell, more to come and the heating on full blast, it makes sense to take advantage of cheap deals on the market and see if you could cut your gas and electricity bills by switching supplier.

Citizens Advice Mid Lincolnshire is helping local residents to find the best tariff for their circumstances by making people aware of the savings that can be made by switching fuel providers or negotiating with existing providers, providing information about help available from energy suppliers and government for people struggling to pay their gas and electricity bills, providing information about how consumers might save money by using less energy, and sources of advice and help around energy efficiency.

They can also refer you to their team of experienced advisers for further help with fuel debts and other problems.

The CAN can also help residents to join the Lincolnshire Energy Switch Scheme before the February 2 deadline. For more information visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/switch

Last week Citizens Advice advisers helped ‘Irene’ to save over £400 per year on her energy costs, just by finding the most appropriate tariff for her circumstances.

Irene had been paying economy seven prices on an expensive tariff. By calculating her annual usage and carrying out a quick online search CAB advisers were able to help her to change to a much cheaper provider.

Irene said: “I had been putting off changing for a while as I expected it would be a long drawn out process but it was so much easier than I thought. I’m delighted to have saved so much money just by switching.”

If you would like help to save money, contact Karena or Jayne on 01529 308423 for an appointment.

○ The county’s residents have until midnight on Monday February 1 to join the Lincolnshire Energy Switch scheme at www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/switch

In the last auction in 2015, almost 700 people earned an average realised saving of £218 on their bills when compared with their current energy provider and many of those are now counting the pounds in their pockets to spend elsewhere this year.

All you need to do to register is have your annual gas or electric statement or bills covering the last 12 months to hand.

Once you’ve registered your interest, energy suppliers will then be invited to compete with their best offers at an auction.

If you are not able to register online, you can register offline at your local council or by calling 0800 048 8439 until 5pm on February 1.

Everyone can register, whether you rent your home or own it, whether you are on dual fuel, electric only, pay monthly or quarterly or have a prepayment meter.

Karen Lond, lead officer for the joint county and district council energy switch scheme said: “This is residents’ last chance to potentially make huge savings on their energy bills. Thousands of people in Lincolnshire have already switched and saved money; why not join them?”