Pensioners have been urged to carry out two changes to their energy usage which could offset losing the Winter Fuel Payment.
The state pension age payment is worth up to £300 this winter but millions of pensioners will no longer be eligible for the support as the eligibility is being restricted to those on means-tested benefits.
Fortunately, there are several ways pensioners could bring down their energy bills, with two changes potentially trimming £300 off your bills.
Greg Marsh, CEO of energy saving tool Nous.co, offered the first tip that could bring down your costs. He explained: “Most households are out of contract right now and can save by switching providers with Nous.co.
“The majority can save the better part of £150 on their energy bills, without having to commit to a fixed deal.”
He also said you could get decent savings by switching to direct debit. He explained: “If you think your direct debit is too low or too high, don’t ditch it entirely – it’s the cheapest way to pay for energy.
“Customers who pay by standard credit – cash or cheque – currently pay around £100 per year more than direct debit customers.”
The other tip that can also save you £150 a year comes from Nicholas Auckland, heating and energy expert at Trade Radiators.
He said: “Reduce your heating thermostat by just 1C – this can cut heating bills by up to 10 percent, which saves an average household around £100 – £150 per year.”
He suggested some other ways you can get substantial savings on your energy bills, including using a heated blanket to keep warm, which could cost just 22p a day to use under the October price cap figures, compared to £2.49 a day for a standard electric heater.
This would add up to £70.27 a month savings during the colder months although Mr Auckland cautioned that “it’s important to note however that pensioners especially should ensure that their homes are heated.”
He also said you could save £60 a year by making sure your doors, windows and chimney are full insulated, while switching from traditional light bulbs to LED bulbs could save you £15 a year for each bulb.
Mr Nous encouraged pensioners to do a manual meter reading on September 30 ahead of the new price cap “so your supplier doesn’t think you’ve used extra energy under the new higher rates”.
With the Winter Fuel Payment now restricted to those on means-tested benefits, he also urged people to check if they are eligible for Pension Credit, which would qualify you for the support.
He warned: “There are 880,000 pensioner households eligible for Pension Credit and not receiving it. These households are also eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment.
“Make sure you’re not one of those losing out on significant sums – check whether you could be getting the payment on the Government website.”
Pension Credit tops up your income and provides access to a range of other Government support, with a typical claim providing £4,000 a year.
