use the home heat helpline this festive season

28/12/2011

New figures reveal that one in ten households, or 3.5 million homes in Britain – equating to approximately 3,800 households in Penrith and the Border – could be entitled to some form of assistance with their fuel bills, help that is estimated to be worth an average of £250 per household. A free helpline is available for more information.

Lending his support to the campaign, Rory said: “Around 3,800 homes in Penrith and the Border are entitled to some form of support. Anyone who is concerned about staying warm should call the Home Heat Helpline and seek advice. I have spoken many times about the need for greater awareness about the help that is available to households in difficulty, and I would also ask people to look out for neighbours, friends or relatives who may be struggling at this time of year and make sure that they are aware of the Home Heat Helpline.”

Christine McGourty from the Home Heat Helpline also advises people to think about what they can do around the home to reduce their energy consumption: “As well as calling the Home Heat Helpline to find out what financial assistance is available there are some other simple steps people can take. For example:

· 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
· open internal doors of any rooms which get more sun than others and let the warm air travel around your home”The number for the Home Heat Helpline is 0800 33 66 99 or you can visit www.homeheathelpline.org.uk. It is a free service that provides independent advice to people on low incomes on how to get help with their gas and electricity bills as well as other help such as grants for insulation or a new boiler.

 

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