STEVENSON SUPPORTS WINTER WARMTH MESSAGE

Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson is urging residents of Banff & Buchan that are worried about their energy bills and keeping warm over winter to follow the advice of Energy Action Scotland.

As part of its winter warmth campaign, Energy Action Scotland recommends that people:

Be Energy Efficient
Make sure your home is as energy efficient as possible. Get advice about easy and inexpensive ways you can save energy, for example by draught-proofing or by using appliances in a more economical way. You can also find out about making your home or your heating system more energy efficient, perhaps with cavity wall insulation or a heat pump. Contact the Energy Saving Scotland advice centre on freephone 0800 512 012.

Check Benefits or Tax Credit Entitlement
Many people don’t realise they can increase their income by claiming the benefits or tax credit they are entitled to get. The extra income can be very helpful when the winter energy bills come in. Contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau for advice.

Get the Best Energy Deal
Find out if you can get a better deal from your electricity or gas company. Sometimes you can save money by switching to a different tariff or selecting a different way to pay your bills. Some companies also offer special services, like social tariffs, for certain groups of people. Check out what’s available for your needs via the Home Heat Helpline on freephone 0800 33 66 99.

Commenting, Mr Stevenson said:

“There is a large range of bodies that are able to give good advice to people that are struggling with energy bills or with inefficient heating. I strongly encourage residents to see if they are entitled to some kind of assistance by contacting people that can help them.

“Through energy efficiency, better tariffs and making sure that all benefits to which people are entitled are being claimed, you can make a real difference to your energy bills.”

Norman Kerr, Director, Energy Action Scotland said:

“Following these 3 areas of advice can help reduce the amount of energy you need to use at home and help towards paying your energy bills.”