Help with energy costs

• Always use the right sized pan for the job, and use the correct hob ring for each pan.
• Keep the oven door shut as much as possible and make sure the glass door is clean so you can see what's going on.
• Let warm foods cool down before putting them in the fridge.

• Spin your clothes on the washing machine's highest spin cycle before putting them in the tumble dryer.
• Washing clothes at 30 degrees rather than higher temperatures will save energy and money. Modern washing powders and detergents work just as effectively at lower temperatures.
• Wait until you have a full load before putting on a wash.
• Try to minimise unnecessary washing by hanging up clothes to air after using them. This way you can get the maximum use out of each item before needing to wash it.

• A quick shower (less than four minutes) will use less energy than taking a bath.
• Check that your fan is only set for the time needed to clear condensation and smells from the bathroom.
• Invest in a shower timer to help you see how long you spend in the shower - shorter showers use less energy!
• Don't leave the taps running continuously while you brush your teeth, shave or wash your face - fill the basin or just turn the taps on when you need them.

• Fit draught excluders around the front door, and over the letter box and key hole.
• Putting a curtain over the front door helps keep the draughts out.
• Get into the habit of closing all the doors to keep the heat in each room.

• Power showers can easily use as much water as taking a bath - consider fitting an aerated or low-flow showerhead to cut down water use.
• If you have a hot water tank, try to set your programmer to best match the times of day when you use hot water, so you're less likely to heat water when you don't need to.

• Remember to turn off TVs, DVD players, laptops and games consoles.
• If your children need a night-light make sure it's a low energy bulb - the very lowest wattage should be enough.
• If you are thinking about buying a new computer, a new laptop typically costs less per year to run in energy than an old desktop computer (and takes up less     room)
• Encourage your children to turn off equipment at the socket by making it easy to access the switch.

• Replacing all bulbs in a typical home with LED equivalents will cut your lighting bill.

• Draw the curtains at dusk to keep the heat in.
• Don't leave things switched on or on standby when not in use.
• Get into the habit of turning off the television at the socket and not leaving it on standby.
• You can buy mains controllers which do this by remote control.

• Towel-dry your hair thoroughly to cut down use of your hairdryer.
• Use a hot water bottle to warm the bed up, rather than an electric blanket.
• Don't leave your phone charging all night - it should only need a couple of hours.
• During winter, set the heating to switch off a while before you go to bed - that way it won't stay on unnecessarily once you're all tucked up.
• Set your heating to come on a bit before you wake up but time it so that it switches off again before you leave.

The Fuel Bank Foundation is a charity which offers fuel vouchers to those with pre-payment meters who are off supply or about to self-disconnect. These vouchers vary in value depending on the month of the year.  The Advice Shop can refer pre-payment customers to this charity for emergency help however there is a limit to the number of times a person can apply.

The Advice Shop can discuss options with customers who have fallen behind with energy payments. The team encourage customers to set up payment plans and understand their bills to ensure they don't fall into a spiral of debt.

Energy advisors can also help with applications for supplier hardship funds to address energy debt. Many hardship funds require evidence of engagement with an accredited debt advisor. The Advice Shop can also provide debt advice and support. 

The Advice Shop will endeavour to help customers resolve disputes with their energy suppliers. Where vulnerable customers feel like they have exhausted all discussions with their energy supplier we will look to try and help them resolve the complaint or understand their energy bills.

Energy advisors can also help customers who are incapable of escalating complaints by themselves to do this with the Energy Ombudsman.

The Advice Shop will try and speak with customers about their energy usage and discuss changes they may be able to make to their homes and lifestyles to improve energy efficiency.  With the ever rising energy costs the only way to make savings in future will be changes to the way we use energy in the home.

Many energy suppliers participate in the Warm Home Discount scheme. This is a benefit paid by energy suppliers to vulnerable customers who meet their criteria.

The Advice Shop can help vulnerable customers with making applications to their supplier if they are not able to do this themselves. Applications open during the autumn and winter each year, check your supplier website for further details of qualifying criteria and how to apply. 

Home Energy Scotland is a free and impartial service funded by the Scottish Government to help people stay warm in their homes for less.

The Advice Shop have a partnership with Home Energy Scotland and can make referrals for home owners and private tenants who are looking for grants/loans/information on energy efficient upgrades they can get for their property. 

This can include funding for boilers, insulation and solar panels.

• Make sure all windows and doors are closed before turning the heating on.
• Reduce your office temperature settings by 1°C. It's unlikely that anyone will notice and you could cut your heating bill by as much as 10%. However, remain aware of minimum working temperature guidance.
• Don't allow colleagues to tamper with your heating controls. Instead, appoint a member of staff to have responsibility for them - and make sure all staff know who the appointed person is.
• Use timers and temperature control sensors. For example, an optimiser sensor fitted externally to your office building can set heating controls to warm up the office before staff arrive and shut off heating controls once the building is at the optimum temperature, avoiding overheating or the need to open windows.
• Set your heating controls settings to take account of shift patterns and different seasons that have different heating requirements.
• Make sure fans and pumps do not operate when buildings are unoccupied, except where they are needed for preheating.
• Turn off heating in unoccupied areas (such as meeting rooms, storage areas).
• If your office requires heating and cooling, you could make big savings by properly specifying a 'dead band' in which neither the heating nor cooling system is turned on. For example, heating turned off above 21°C and cooling turned off below 25°C has a dead band of 4°C. A dead band of 0°C or only 1°C will use significantly more energy. This is especially important if your office has heating and cooling provided by separate systems where there is an extra risk of the two working against each other.
• Ensure heaters and radiators are kept clear by not covering them or placing furniture in front of them. This will enable them to heat up your office more efficiently. Visit businessenergyscotland.org 
• Regularly service your heating system - a serviced boiler can save up to 10% on heating costs.
• Fit external doors with spring-loaded door closers to make sure they are not left open.
• Insulate pipework under suspended ground floors and in the cavity above suspended ceilings as heat loss can be considerable in these areas.
• Draught-proof roof lights, doors and single-glazed windows to stop heat escaping from your office. Lost heat is wasted heat.
• Find out how the heating system for your office works and make sure you are taking full advantage of built-in energy efficiency functions

• Areas where people work need to be bright enough to allow them to work comfortably. The same applies to areas where your customers visit. But have a look at other areas such as corridors and toilets - these should not need to be so bright for as long or as often.
• Encourage staff to only switch on the lights that they need rather than the whole floor area.
• Switch off lights in unoccupied rooms such as store rooms, photocopier rooms, archive stores and kitchens.
• Get everyone into the habit of switching lights off when they leave these rooms.
• Ensure lighting controls are clearly labelled, especially if they are grouped together.
• Labelling should be easy to understand to encourage staff to turn off lights on sunny days or when part of the office is unoccupied.
• Make sure lights can be switched off manually (particularly near windows). Installing zone controls and daylight sensors ensures that lights are switched on only when necessary.
• Encourage staff to open the blinds and use natural light wherever possible, rather than turn on the lights.

• Make use of resource efficiency at work training package to teach your staff about the importance of saving energy in your business. It's ideal for use as part of a new employee's induction or as part of your annual refresher training.
• Set up a green team. One of the simplest ways to create change in your business is to encourage a dedicated group of colleagues to lead the fight against energy inefficiency.
• Keep your staff motivated in the fight against energy waste.
• Fit energy efficient lighting. If you fit energy-efficient lighting such as compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), slimline tubes or light emitting diodes (LEDs), you can typically make immediate savings of up to 75%. These products also last up to ten times longer, reducing replacement and waste disposal costs. Using tri-phosphor coated tubes gives a more natural, brighter light.

• Conduct an energy audit. A quick site walk around can often reveal lots of energy-saving opportunities. Visit businessenergyscotland.org  to download a free guide that has everything you need to conduct a full energy audit of your business. It will also help you to prioritise your opportunities, and where necessary, secure the support and funding you need to make them happen.
• Measuring and monitoring your energy usage is the essential first stage in any bid to save energy.

• Encourage staff to turn their computer monitors off if they are going to be away from their desks for more than 10 minutes - and certainly encourage them to turn off their PCs, monitors and communal equipment at the end of the day.
• Get back to basics with a tea rota for teams. Instead of boiling the kettle five separate times, take it in turns to go and make a big round.
• Take advantage of technology that allows employees to work from home when appropriate. And with fewer employees in the office, you can spend less on lighting and heating/cooling.
• Some chargers continue to draw power when they're plugged in, so unplug them when not in use.