Home heat help

January 10th, 2011

When the weather is as cold as this, we really appreciate the comfort of our own home.

Nothing beats shutting the front door, resting up in your warm living room and leaving the snow and cold winds behind you.

But for people on a fixed income, the cold can leave them with a difficult dilemma - a warm home or an affordable bill.

Rising energy bills are unwelcome burden in these tough economic times and people are feeling the squeeze on their household budgets.

But there is help out there in the shape of reduced or social tariffs and grants for free cavity wall and loft insulation.

The Home Heat Helpline is a free phone line set up by the energy companies to help customers struggling to pay their bills and keep warm.

Aswell as offering social tariffs and grants, they also offer advice on how to keep your bills down, including flexible payment options and benefits entitlement checks.

It is estimated that nearly half a million homes in Scotland are eligible for free insulation grants and reduced tariffs yet only 12 per cent have claimed this help.

The Energy Retail Association estimate that people could save £260 a year on your bills.

Typically, people assume this help isn’t meant for them and thousands are missing out on this help.

Well, you don’t know until you try and I would urge anyone concerned about their energy bills to call the Home Heat Helpline on 0800 336699.

You might be thankful for it when your Christmas heating bills come through.