ENERGY bills are up as we all spend more time at home – and winter means they will only get bigger, just as Covid is also hitting incomes.
Switching providers, or asking your current firm for a better deal, can typically save £200 over the year. That is because many save the best deals only for new customers.
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Up-and-coming suppliers like Ovo, Octopus and Bulb are often cheaper, and have better customer service and green energy. So compare deals now.
But as well as changing suppliers, there are other ways to save on your energy costs.
Here I tell you how . . .
Warm home discount
A SUM of £140 is deducted from winter energy bills under this scheme, which benefits mainly OAPs without bumper private pension schemes.
Some low-income families and people receiving benefits also qualify for this assistance.
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Most people getting the discount are over-65s who are in the “core group” for pension credit and receiving the guarantee element top-up — bumping up weekly income to £173.75 for a single person or £265.20 for couples.
Other benefit recipients should ask their supplier if they maybe qualify for this discount.
All of the medium and larger energy providers offer this help — 54 companies in all.
But smaller firms with fewer than 250,000 customers are not obliged to do so.
When to apply: All “core group” pensioners should receive this discount automatically.
You should get a letter by December if you are entitled to it.
If you think you qualify, and have not received the discount, call the helpline on 0800 731 0214.
Saving: £140 a year
Cold weather payments
A SEVERE cold snap during winter can be good news for the bank balances of some benefit recipients — because the Government pays an extra £25 to help with energy costs.
The payout can only be triggered by a whole week averaging 0C (32F) in your area.
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Weeks that cold are pretty rare. But if one does come around, you could qualify for the assistance if you get pension credit, income support, jobseeker’s allowance, income-related employment and support allowance or Universal Credit.
There is nothing to lose — and it may just be a nice winter warmer for your bank account.
When to apply: Payments should be in your bank account within two weeks of applying.
If you think you qualify and have not received a payment, contact your local pension centre or Jobcentre Plus, or call the Universal Credit helpline.
Saving: £25 per cold spell
Winter fuel payments
OVER-65s get a payout of between £100 and £300 to help with winter fuel bills.
You are eligible as long as you were born before October 5, 1954 and lived in the UK for at least one day in the week of September 21 to 27.
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People aged 80 and over, living alone, get £300, while younger pensioners get £100 each and £200 for couples — but this varies if you get benefits.
Those in care homes can qualify.
When to apply: Payments are made into your bank account by December. First-time recipients should claim by calling 0800 731 0160.
Saving: £100 to £300 a year
Nokia will last a month, basically
NOT fussed about phones with 5G, big screens and triple cameras – and want a bargain handset to, er, make calls on?
How about the latest version of the Nokia 5310?
Actually, it does do one other thing as well. The revamp of the music-focused original 5310 from 2007 is, like its predecessor, also geared up to listening to tunes and the radio. But that is it – calls, music and a long battery life.
Use headphones or simply switch it on and listen straight from the loud, front-facing speakers.
Plus, there are dedicated music- control buttons on the side so you can flick between your favourite radio stations, skip songs or adjust the volume easily. It has an FM receiver – a rare treat for a phone – and a dedicated, iPod-style MP3 player built in.
But that means you need to transfer songs to it from your PC. There is no streaming with Spotify or Apple Music.
That is because it does not have an app store – but for many that is a key selling point. It’s dead simple to use and great for calls.
Do not worry, though, it has one basic app built in – Facebook.
The £34.99 handset has a stunning battery life of a month. It will be a hit with older folk who do not want fiddly phones.
Heating help for renters
IF you are renting, check if your landlord has to make your home more energy-efficient — this will help reduce your heating bills.
Since April, all properties with an energy-performance rating of F or G must be improved to E — for example by laying thicker loft insulation — and costs are payable by your landlord.
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When to apply: To see your situation, check your energy-performance certificate at epcregister.com.
Saving: Varies
Check your benefits
A MILLION pensioner households are in poverty, as many are not claiming the pension credit they qualify for.
The average unclaimed credit is more than £2,000 a year (£39 a week). A massive £3billion aimed at low- income pensioners goes unclaimed every year, Age UK says.
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OAPs with a weekly income of under £173.75 for a single person or £265.20 for couples can get a pension credit top-up to those amounts.
The state pension is higher than this amount, but some over-65s receive a lower amount as they did not pay enough national insurance during their working lives.
Citizens Advice can check you get the benefits you qualify for, and energy suppliers can also monitor this.
Saving: Varies
Join elite group with this smart speaker
SPEAKER, wireless charger and virtual assistant all in one – that’s the claim by sleek-looking gadget the Belkin Soundform Elite.
Belkin may be best known for less-glamorous things such as cables, charging pads and battery packs, but it has got its pals at Devialet to help out with the design of the speaker.
It is shaped like a giant egg – with the top cut off – and is £200 at John Lewis at the moment.
The charging pad was really handy when I had the speaker on the bedside cabinet, cutting down on cables. I also tried it in the kitchen and it was handy to boost my phone when cooking after work.
It comes with either Google Assistant or Alexa – there are two versions to pick from when you buy. So as with other smart speakers, I could tell it what to play.
But while the speaker looks great, the sound could be better for the money.
I am not sure the plush design, charging pad and personal assistant quite make up for this.
Nevertheless, for £200, I would give it the thumbs-up.
Sun’s top tips to green your home, save cash and save the planet
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