If you use a pre-payment meter or are struggling with money problems the Government has agreed emergency measures with suppliers.
Options may include:
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Reviewing bill payment plans, including debt repayment plans
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Payment breaks or reductions in how much you pay
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Giving you more time to pay
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Access to hardship funds in some cases
No credit meters will be disconnected during the outbreak.
Visit your supplier’s website or contact them for advice specific to you. If you are struggling to pay for your gas and electricity bills or you get into debt, contact your energy supplier as soon as you can. They will work with you to agree a payment plan you can afford.
There is also a wide range of local and national organisations that offer help and support:
Cardiff Council Money Advice
Cardiff Advice Service
The National Money Advice Service
Help to
find a debt adviser in CardiffLink opens in a new window is available online, or by calling 0800 138 7777.
Riverside Advice Cardiff
Riverside AdviceLink opens in a new window is local organisation who are able to help residents across Wales. You can contact them on 029 2034 1577.
Care & Repair Cardiff and The Vale
Action in Caerau and Ely (ACE)
ACELink opens in a new window is a community developed charity owned and run by the residents of Ely and Caerau who are able to offer fuel poverty support. You can contact them on 029 2000 3132.
The HHHP team can help you access many services and support you through the referral process to gain the support you need.
You can contact them on 0165 674 76 22, or email
information@warmwales.org.ukExternal link opens in a new window and ask for the Healthy Homes team or
complete the online self-referral form.External link opens in a new window
NEA’s Warm and Safe Homes (WASH) Advice Service
Switching energy suppliers or tariff is one of the best ways to reduce your energy bills. You don’t need to own your home to switch, and doing so could save you hundreds of pounds a year if you are on an expensive standard variable tariff.
Ofgem, the energy regulator, has
advice on how to switch energy tariff or suppliers.Link opens in a new window
There are many ways to reduce your energy bills, from changing your habits to getting a new efficient boiler installed at your property. These organisations can provide advice and may be able to provide funding towards home improvements:
Energy saving tips
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When bulbs break, try replacing them with modern LED bulbs. These are much more efficient than traditional bulbs, and can save you money over time.
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Switch appliances off, and don’t leave them on standby. This could save you up to £30 a year according to the
Energy Saving Trust.Link opens in a new window
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Draught proofing windows and doors can help keep more heat in and save you money.
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Turn your thermostat down by 1 degree, and give radiators a few centimetres more space by moving your furniture slightly. This can reduce your energy usage and make sure your home is heated more efficiently, lowering bills.
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Get a Smart Meter. This can help you understand where you’re using the most energy, so you can cut back in the right places to make savings. They also provide far more accurate bills.
To avoid a build-up of moisture in your home that could result in mould you need to both heat and ventilate the property. Try the following options:
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Produce less moisture.
Try keeping the lids on pans when cooking, drying clothes outdoors rather than on radiators, venting your tumble dryer outside, and avoiding using paraffin heaters or bottled gas heaters. -
Let the moist air out and the fresh air in.
Extractor fans are an effective way to get rid of moist air and steam so that less condensation forms. When cooking or bathing, keep the kitchen or bathroom door shut and open the window so that the steam goes outside instead. -
Insulate and draught-proof your home.
Warm homes suffer less from condensation so you should make sure your house is well insulated. This means insulating your loft to the recommended depth of 270mm, and your cavity walls (if your house has them and is suitable). Your windows and external doors should be draught-proofed, and you should consider secondary glazing if your windows are draughty. -
Heat your home a little more.
While you don’t want to waste money heating rooms you don’t use, very cold rooms are more likely to get damp and mould.
If you are interested in generating your own electricity or heat at home from technologies such as solar, wind, hydro, ground or air heat, then you may qualify for the
Smart Export GuaranteeLink opens in a new window or
Renewable Heat Incentive.Link opens in a new window Smart meters are the new generation of gas and electricity meters.
Instead of waiting for a bill to drop through the letterbox, a smart meter can show you the amount of energy you use, as you use it. This makes it easier to spot areas in the home where you may be wasting energy so you can make changes to reduce costs.
How smart meters work
The smart meter sends your gas and electricity readings direct to your energy supplier. Smart meters are more accurate than traditional meters, so you can say goodbye to estimated bills.
Although the smart meter will replace your existing boxes, the clever technology is housed in a portable in-home display, which can sit in any room you choose. This is the unit that shows you how much energy you are using.
All in-home displays are designed to show information in a way that’s easy to understand. However, an accessible in-home display has been developed in partnership with the Royal National Institute for the Blind and includes large buttons and text-to-speech functionality. Anyone wishing to use an accessible in-home display should contact their energy supplier to find out more.
Installing a smart meter
Getting a smart meter is easy, they are provided and installed by your energy supplier at a time that suits you.
Smart meters are provided at no extra cost, so you won’t have to pay for the equipment or the installation.
A few important things you need to consider before your installation:
Agree a time and date with your supplier that you can be home for the installation. An installer will never turn up unexpectedly.
Make sure you know where your current meters are and take steps to ensure they are accessible for the installer.
The installer should show you a valid identity card upon arrival, which you can ask to see if the installer does not present it upfront.
It takes about two hours and your energy supply will be cut off for a short period, but you will need to be present for the installation.
If you are having a gas meter installed, the installer will perform a visual safety check on your gas appliances.
Once fitted, your installer will show you how to use your in-home display as well as offering energy-saving advice.
Cardiff Council ECO Flexible Eligibility Statement of Intent (161kb PDF)Link opens in a new window
This statement sets out Cardiff Council's flexible eligibility criteria for the ECO: Help to Heat scheme.
Currently this Statement of Intent is only to be used by YES Energy Solutions for the Rent Smart Wales Warm Homes Fund project. This is a pilot for the use of Flexible Eligibility for ECO in Cardiff.
If the pilot is successful we plan to undertake a procurement exercise so that the Statement of Intent can be used by companies who have been procured by Cardiff Council for the purpose of enabling ECO funding for private sector households.