Published: 06/12/2016
WITH PIC
COPELAND Council is launching a scheme to help residents save money on their energy bills.
And the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and portfolio holder were the very first to sign up.
The Copeland Big Switch hopes to create a large group of people interested in cheaper tariffs, then offer their custom to the energy firm offering the best deal.
Residents can express an interest in being part of the scheme, run by ichoosr in partnership with the Citizens Advice Bureau and Age Concern, from today (December 6).
Whilst savings can’t be guaranteed, similar schemes have been extremely successful elsewhere and figures from one last year showed 99 per cent of people saved money, with £236 the average annual saving.
Copeland's portfolio holder for nuclear and corporate services, David Moore, said: “This is a great way of using our power as a community to benefit everyone. Myself and my colleagues were very keen to sign up.
Winter can be a difficult time for vulnerable residents, and this scheme will help people get the best deal possible and, hopefully, not have to worry. But it is not just for those struggling to afford their energy bill - everyone can sign up as this offers the chance of great savings for minimum effort.
“Having said that, fuel poverty is a real concern. Figures show more than one in ten people in Copeland are in fuel poverty, and annual bills have risen by an average of £90 in the last year. We should be doing everything we can to protect people from this.”
The scheme is open to everyone and is free to join. There is no obligation to switch tariffs once the offer has been calculated.
Copeland residents can register an interest in the Copeland Big Switch by:
- Submitting their details at www.copeland.gov.uk
- Getting a friend or family member to do this on their behalf if they are unable to access the internet
- Calling Copeland Borough Council on 01946 598300 to register their interest.
Once registered, residents will receive a personalised offer showing how much money could potentially be saved.
Figures released by the Department for Energy and Climate Change styles show there has been a decline in the number of people switching tariffs. With the large number of tariff choices available (98 across 14 regions,) there is potential for people to make savings.
The amount of money saved will vary from house to house depending on factors such as consumption, current deal and the winning bid. The process however is designed to ensure the majority of participants are offered the chance to save money.
For more information visit www.copeland.gov.uk. You will need your latest energy bill to hand for the registration process. Individual offers will be emailed to residents from February 27 2017.
