Energy price increase

The increase to the energy price cap announced by Ofgem last week means that many Scottish households will see as much as a 50% increase in their energy bills from April this year.

The reason for this rise is the huge increase in the cost of buying gas, which is then passed on to everyone who uses both gas and electricity.

We understand this is a worrying time for everyone. We know that there will be some help for households which will be announced soon by the Scottish Government.

If you are in debt or are fearful of your energy supply being cut off, please speak to your energy supplier as soon as possible. It may take some time to get through to them, but they will offer some help.

Here are some tips to help reduce your costs:

• Ensure that you know how your heating controls work - you can find useful guides on our website on how to use your heating system.
• If you are going out, double check that your heating is off or at least turned down for that period. You can make slight adjustments if you have a timer that means your heating comes on slightly later or goes off slightly earlier. 
• Turning down your thermostat by 1C can reduce the cost of your bills.
• Think about how much water you are using, this could be as easy as making sure you are not overfilling your kettle.

Small steps like these can have a bigger impact on your bills than you realise.

Find out more useful information about energy issues at Citizens Advice Scotland and get advice on reducing your fuel bills by visiting Home Energy Scotland or calling them on 0808 808 2282.