Get help to save money on energy bills

A charity scheme has helped a Lincoln resident save over £1,000 a year on her energy bills.

Inam was struggling to keep her energy bills down and warm her house sufficiently, but Groundwork Five Counties helped her to switch tariff and be more energy efficient.

Inam shares her home with two adult children and a nephew, which means a lot of electricity and water are used every day. Her gas bills were much higher than expected and she was keen to make savings where possible.

At a local community event she met Ben, a Green Doctor energy and money saving expert from the charity, who gave her advice on the spot and recommended a free home visit.

Inam says: “Ben came to my house and looked around to find where I could save money and he was very helpful. He noticed I was on an Eco7 energy tariff which gives cheaper rates at night and is meant for households with storage heaters. We don’t have such heaters and Ben advised we switch to a more suitable tariff.

“He told me about the Anglian Water social tariff with a variable rate. This means my monthly water bill has gone down from £108 a month to £38, which is fantastic. I use a lot of water in the garden during the summer, so I’ll keep an eye on how this works out over the next months as I’m not locked into a contract and can change my tariff again at any time.

“He gave me a lot of information on how we can save energy at home, like not leaving items on standby and taking shorter showers. He showed me how to best use my heating controls, which has been very beneficial.”

Inam also received a dozen free LED bulbs, which can save £5 each compared to non-LEDs. Altogether, she is set to save over £1,000 a year on her bills.

She says: “The Green Doctor service is great, I’ve gained so much from it and it didn’t cost me anything as it’s a fully funded charity.”

The service is available anywhere in the East Midlands to people of any age and background, whether they own their home, rent, or are a council or social housing tenant.

For more information and to get a free home visit, visit the website:www.groundwork.org.uk/fivecounties/green-doctor