Energy Saving Week: 25TH – 29TH October

Christopher Pincher, Member of Parliament for Tamworth and Member of the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee, spoke up for Energy Saving Week which is taking place this week.

Mr. Pincher said:
“Saving energy is not only vitally important for the environment but it also has obvious personal economic advantages.  The less energy we use the lower our energy bills will be.”
“For example, turning down the thermostat by only one degree will reduce your total carbon footprint and could save you £100 yearly.   There are many other things you can do and these are all on the Energy Saving Trust’s website or call 0800 512 012.”

“On a personal note, I am walking to the House of Commons this week rather than taking the tube and have turned down my own thermostat.  And this week I will be seeing Energy Minister Charles Hendry to talk about energy and fuel issues facing local people.”

“It is also worth noting the Parliamentary Question I asked earlier on this year where I discovered that in 2010 there were 4,000 houses in Tamworth in fuel poverty.   Fuel poverty is defined as having to spend more than 10% of income to adequately heat a house.  This is a big number but fortunately companies like EAGA exist to help.  If any one feels that they are in fuel poverty or are paying too much for their heating bills I would advise them to call Home Heat Helpline especially before it gets colder!  They offer free and practical advice which often helps you save money on their heating bills and will inform you if there are schemes that will give you grants on insulation.  This is particularly important for elderly or vulnerable people so please call now before it gets colder. Their helpline phone number is 0800 33 66 99.”

“The government is helping vulnerable people by keeping the Winter Fuel Payment and making permanent the increases to the Cold Weather Payments.  We are also changing the way pensions work.  By linking pensions to earnings we will increase the pension to help the most vulnerable with their income and fuel payments. This, in conjunction with support to councils to freeze council tax, should help people keep their bills as low as possible.”

Useful websites:
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/
http://www.homeheathelpline.org.uk/