Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is grant funding available to improve the energy efficiency of my home?
A. Yes get help under the Energy Company Obligation 4 if you meet the eligibility criteria and you get one of the following benefits:
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit
- Pension Guarantee Credit
- Pension Savings Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment Support Allowance
- Housing Benefit
- Child Benefit
ECO4 Child Benefit income threshold
| Type of Claimant | Number of children or qualifying young persons | |||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 or more | |
| Single claimant | £19,800 | £24,600 | £29,400 | £34,200 |
| Member of a couple | £27,300 | £32,100 | £36,900 | £41,700 |
Homeowner
If you own your house it must have an energy efficiency rating of Band D, E, F or G to be eligible.
Private Landlord
If you rent from a private landlord the property must have an energy efficiency rating of Band E, F or G to be eligible. You must have the owner’s permission to do the work
Social Landlord
If you live in social housing the property must have an energy efficiency rating of Band E, F or G and you might be eligible for help with insulation or installing a heating system for the first time.
How to Apply
Contact your energy supplier.
Q. How do I find the energy efficiency rating of my home?
A. Click on this link and input your postcode
Q. Why have my energy bills increased?
A. There seem to be several reasons for the large increase in energy bills. As economies have started to recover from Covid 19 lockdowns demand for global gas has increased. At the same time, there have been limits to gas supplies from Russia due to the conflict with Ukraine. A colder winter also reduced the amount of gas held in storage.
Q. What is the energy price cap?
A. There were concerns that many people were paying too much for their energy. In January 2019 Ofgem introduced a maximum amount that energy suppliers could charge for each unit of energy used.
Q. Does this cap your energy bill?
A. No. The cap only limits the cost of each unit of energy and the standing charge. Your bill will be based on how much you use. So the more you use the more you pay.
Q. What happened to the energy price cap and what is the energy price guarantee?
A. To make bills more affordable the government replaced the energy price cap with the energy price guarantee. The guarantee sets a maximum price for each unit of electricity and gas. The government estimates that a typical household with average energy use will pay around £2,500 a year on their energy bills.
Again this guarantee only limits the cost of each unit of energy and the standing charge. So your bill is based on how much you use. So the more you use the more you pay.
Q. The energy price guarantee was due to end in March 2023 what happened?
A. The government decided to extend this for 3 months from April to June 2023.
Q. What is a kilowatt hour (kWh)?
A. A kilowatt hour (kWh) is a measure of how much energy you are using to calculate your energy bills. 1 kWh is the amount of energy you would use if you kept a 1,000-watt appliance running for an hour.
Q. What is the difference between a kilowatt and a kilowatt hour?
A. A kilowatt (kW) is a measure of how much power an appliance needs and 1 kilowatt equals 1,000 watts. Kilowatt-hour (kWh) is used to measure energy in the home. Therefore, 1kWh is the amount of energy it takes to run a 1,000-watt (or 1kWh) appliance for 1 hour.
Q. How many kWh do appliances use?
A. Different appliances use different amounts of energy and some are more energy efficient than others. For example,
- A 50-watt alarm clock would take 20 hours to use 1kWh
- A 100-watt light bulb would take 10 hours to use 1kWh
- A 10-watt energy LED light bulb would take 100 hours to use 1kWh
- A 2,000-watt dishwasher would use 1kWh in half an hour
Q. What are the biggest users of electricity in my home?
Wet Appliances
Washing machines, dishwashers and anything else that uses water are known as wet appliances. These appliances take the top spot in terms of how much energy they use, accounting for 16% of total energy bill costs. The power needed to heat the water that they use pushes up consumption, making them energy-hungry household appliances. Actively choosing to wash clothes at a lower temperature can help reduce your energy consumption and try to avoid washing half loads to save water. The same advice goes for your dishwasher: use the Eco setting if it has one and try to wait until it is full to use.
Cold Appliances
Fridges and freezers account for around 12% of the average household’s energy bill. By their very nature, these appliances need to stay on all the time, so they’re continually drawing power to maintain a constant temperature. The more products they contain, the harder they have to work to stay cool, so you can save energy by not overloading them. Your fridge should be kept between 1 and 5 degrees Celsius, so if yours doesn’t have a thermometer installed, it’s worth investing in one to ensure it remains at an efficient temperature.
Consumer Electronics
Today, we are far more reliant on consumer electronics which range from laptops to TVs to game consoles so it should come as no surprise that they take third place, accounting for around 7% of your energy bill. Some of the oldest advice remains relevant: remember to turn your devices off standby where possible.
Lighting
Coming in just behind your electronics, lighting takes up around 6% of an average home’s total energy bill. You can reduce the amount of energy you use by replacing halogen bulbs with LEDs. LEDs come in a range of shades from cool to warm, allowing you to create the lighting effect that you want for your home. If the average household replaced all bulbs with LEDs, it would cost about £145 and save around £45 a year on bills. Another tip: turn your lights off when you’re not using them or when you leave a room. This will save you around £15 a year on your annual energy bills.
Cooking
Around 4% of your energy bill is spent on powering kitchen appliances, including the hob, oven, kettle and microwave. Microwaves and air fryers are more efficient than ovens at cooking because they only heat the food and not the air space inside. Try to avoid overfilling the kettle and save yourself £8 a year on your electricity bill.
How to find us
The service is based at our Centre for Independent Living (CIL), located on Beaufort Street, Warrington, WA51BA. You can also book in at our Energy Efficiency and Smart Flat located across from our CIL to see the energy consumption within your home and how implementing energy-saving and assistive measures could work within the home.
Contact Us
Contact a member of our team via telephone at 01925 240064, through our Warrington Disability Partnership Social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn), our online enquiry form or via email through our Energy Administrator on E.Houghton@disabilitypartnership.org.uk
SEE ALSO
Financial Help 2023/24Energy Saving Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
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