Gordon Birtwistle & Burnley Liberal Democrats

With the costs of food, clothing, and energy all on the increase, local MP Gordon Birtwistle is calling on constituents to winter proof their homes and their finances to keep energy costs down.

Currently, around £1 of every £4 spent on heating our homes is wasted because of a lack of adequate insulation. And with over 6 million cavity walls unfilled, and 10 million lofts left unlagged, huge amounts of money is being wasted.  

 Gordon Birtwisle MP says:

 “If people in Burnley take action and get the free energy efficiency that they are entitled to, then they can save themselves hundreds of pounds every year. If they act now they can be ready long before winter.”

 Customers of British Gas can take advantage of the company’s offer to insulate their homes free if they apply before 22^nd December 2011. Customers on lower incomes, whoever their supplier is, can also call a special helpline to see if they are eligible for free insulation or discounted bills (the Home Heat Helpline on 0800 980 8177).

 As well as winter-proofing their homes, Gordon is also urging constituents to winter-proof their finances by applying for all the benefits they are entitled to. £1 in every £4 of the benefits available go unclaimed – a staggering £12.7 billion a year. The largest pots available are income support; pension credit; housing benefit; council tax benefit and Jobseeker’s Allowance. However, there are a host of other benefits, including a new Warm Homes Discount, which will give every person on pension credit an energy bill rebate of £120.

 “With more than 50 government benefits available, it can be an absolute minefield for anyone trying to claim what is actually legally their’s”, the MP warns. “Charities such as Citizen’s Advice and Age UK are able to talk you through what you may be eligible for and even apply on your behalf – I would urge people to give them a call or drop in to a centre.”    Gordon Birtwistle MP recently met with these charities at an Open Day at the House of Commons, where he discussed what support was available for stretched household budgets during the winter months.

“There are a number of ways you can cut bills and claim benefits if you speak to the experts” He argues. The local MP also recommends an online Benefit Check tool from the charity Turn2Us: http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

  Notes

All British Gas energy or services customers can call 0800 980 8177 to request free loft or cavity wall insulation if they apply before 22^nd December. Customers of all energy suppliers can call 0800 33 66 99 to check if they are eligible for energy bill discounts or free insulation

Research from the Centre for Economic and Business Research (Cebr) has shown that energy efficiency can have a significant impact. The research, conducted earlier this year, analysed over 40 million meter readings over a five year period and showed that customers of British Gas are using 22% less gas on average. Some customers were saving as much as £322 a year on their energy bills. More details on the Cebr research can be found here: http://www.centrica.com/files/pdf/BG_Home_Energy_Report_110202.pdf

According to a Written Parliamentary Question on the 20^th October 2011, “For the six income-related benefits for which estimates are available there was between £6,930 million and £12,700 million left unclaimed in 2008-09; this compared to £38,110 million that was claimed and represents take-up by expenditure of between about 75% and 85%”

Comments are closed.