National Energy Action has provided the following advice before the energy prices jump in April.
“At NEA we are tackling fuel poverty and promoting energy efficiency across the country, we offer one to one advice , support, and grants throughout the year to the most vulnerable and low-income households.
We are advising people to make 31st March national meter reading day .Take a meter reading and get this to your energy supplier on or before the 31st March 2022 , this will ensure that your charges will be at the current cheaper rate.
If people are on a traditional key and card meter, top up as much as you can afford as this will be charged at the current cheaper rated until next time you must top up, then the meter will start charging the new increased rates.
Energy bills have increased for some people since October last year and are set to rise again by 54% on the average standard variable tariff ,for some people the price of their monthly consumption has doubled. Thea verage price of Gas for 3.5P will increase to 7.5p
The rise in the Daily Standing Charge is most concerning for as this is a charge that even people using the minimum amount of energy or self-disconnecting on prepay will still bear the brunt of. Some of the proposed increases we have seen are astronomical from 18-27 p per day to 40-49p per day meaning 3.50 a week on each energy will be charged 7.00 per week before any gas or electricity is used.
We have some grants available for customers on Pre-Pay meters and on low incomes or benefits in particular the grant is top up vouchers to the value of 147.00 per household . Evidence of their supplier and income will be required for the customer to access the grant, but they will all be offered Energy Advice too, and this is more important then ever.
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Sheffield City Council has a Winter Top Up Fund for any private rented tenants who are struggling with rent, that needs to be spent by the end of March.
The fund is mainly for rent arrears but can also be used to top up rent if people are struggling to afford it as follows:
- Needs to be a “short-term” crisis – e.g., someone off sick for a few weeks and only got statutory sick pay, somebody on a zero-hours contact and their hours have been cut, a couple has broken up leaving one person struggling to pay rent until they can find somewhere else– a way of bridging this gap
- Best way to access the fund is for a tenant’s landlord to contact teh Council’s private-rented solutions team (note that this team is quite stretched at the moment). The payment will go directly to the landlord.
Private rented tenants can contact the access team on 0114 273 6306 or their landlord can contact the Private Rented Solutions team by email privaterentedsolutions@sheffield.gov.uk or call 0114 205 3112.
