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| Lancaster City Council leader Eileen Blamire: “Rising energy prices are an increasing concern” |
Time is running out for people to sign up to a new scheme which could help them cut their energy bills.
The ‘People Power’ energy switching scheme closes at midnight on 8th April – so if you miss the deadline, you could lose the chance to take advantage of cheaper energy tariffs.
The scheme works by thousands of people registering their interest in switching energy providers, who then bid for their business by offering the best available prices.
With the average household fuel bill now standing at more than £1,300 – and set to rise even higher – it’s more important than ever that people get the best deal possible.
Low income households are particularly affected and recent figures show that 24% of homes (approximately 14,300 households) in the Lancaster district are in fuel poverty.
Councillor Eileen Blamire, leader of Lancaster City Council, said: “Rising energy prices are an increasing concern and by switching providers many people could get a better deal on their energy.
“But that’s often easier said than done and many people do not, or are unable to, switch energy suppliers. The idea of this scheme is to make it easier for people to find a better deal.
“Registering is free, open to anyone and the more people that register, the more likely it is that there will be savings for everyone. There’s no obligation to switch providers so people have nothing to lose by registering their interest in taking part.”
You can register your interest in taking part by visiting www.peoplepower.co.uk. Make sure you have your current gas and electricity bills to hand as they need information about how much you spend and your consumption. Up to five households can be registered on the same e-mail address, so why not help out a neighbour or friend who does not have access to the internet or emails.
On 9th April, an auction will take place in which energy companies will compete for the business of all those that have registered.
All the applications are grouped anonymously and the price offered by the suppliers is independent of the number of participants who make the switch.
The more people sign up the more likely suppliers are to give an additional discount.
Residents are not obliged to sign up to the scheme once a provider has been chosen, but those that do, could benefit from reduced bills.
If you don’t have access to a computer you can also register in person at either Lancaster or Morecambe town halls.