The Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg has announced that at least £540 million of the government’s home energy efficiency programme – worth £1.3bn per year – will be targeted at helping the poorest.
In his speech, Nick Clegg said:

“We will be requiring the energy companies to provide an estimated £1.3bn a year of support for energy efficiency in our homes with at least £540m to fund energy saving improvements in the worst off homes.

This includes:

• Around £350m a year to deliver heating and insulation measures to around 270,000 low income and vulnerable households by 2015, helping them to heat their homes to a healthy level and demonstrating our commitment to tackling fuel poverty

• For those living in the poorest areas, including in social housing, specific support worth around £190m a year will be available from the energy companies to upgrade homes and flats with loft and cavity wall insulation, as well as other insulation measures, to make them warmer and cheaper to run.

Also:

• A large proportion of the Energy Company Obligation will still be targeted at solid wall insulation, but support will be opened up for more measures than before – including hard to treat cavity walls. And where solid wall or hard to treat cavity insulation is being installed this can be accompanied by other measures which reduce heat loss from a property, such as glazing and draught proofing.

• Energy companies will be allowed to carry forward overachievement against their targets under the current Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) and Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) and count it towards their ECO targets.

• These changes will help smooth the transition for the insulation industry between current schemes and the Green Deal. We will continue work with this industry to see if there is more we can do to help them manage the impacts of the transition.

The full speech is available on the Cabinet Office website.

Liberal Democrat leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has just been on BBC Breakfast talking about the deal that the Government has reached with energy companies which will save many households £100 a year on their bills. Under the plan, consumers would be written to annually and told if a different tariff would save them money.

Nick explained that seven out of ten households were paying too much because they were on the wrong tariff and this idea would save them money. He acknowledged that this alone would not solve all the problems in the energy market but he said that the Government had already introduced the Warm Home Discount for the most vulnerable pensioners and the Green Deal which will encourage proper insulation to reduce overall energy consumption. He pointed out how we all, families, households and businesses alike, need to be more aware of the energy we use.

Read the rest of this article on the Liberal Democrat Voice website at http://ht.ly/acDmt

Millions of people, who may be paying more than they need to, could have their energy bills cut thanks to a landmark deal for consumers agreed between the Coalition Government and all the major energy suppliers, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will announce today.

The commitments secured by the Coalition Government will mean that the big six energy companies – EDF, E.On, British Gas, Southern, Scottish Power and NPower, who supply 99 per cent of British homes with energy – will now write to customers every year to specifically tell them what the best tariff is for them and how to get it. Some vulnerable customers – those assisted by the Warm Home Discount scheme – will be contacted twice a year.

Customers will also be offered the best tariff if their contract comes to an end and if they contact their supplier at any time to ask.

There are more than 120 different tariffs. Currently, seven out of 10 people aren’t on the best tariff for them. The average customer tends to stay on theirs for years, despite the amount of energy they use varying over time. In 2010, 75 per cent of people did not change their tariff.

The Government wants people to save money on their bills whilst also becoming more switched on to the idea of saving energy through green measures to make further savings and protecting the environment.

At a speech at ‘Canary Wharf’s greenest building’, the KPMG headquarters, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is expected to say:

“
We need to get bills as low as possible. I know that many families are struggling with rising energy bills. We can’t control volatile world energy prices. But we can still help people get their bills down.”

“So I can announce today that we have secured a landmark deal with the six big energy companies who cover 99 per cent of customers, to give customers a guaranteed offer of the best tariff for them.

“Right now, seven out of 10 customers are on the wrong tariff for their needs, so are paying too much. Yet people rarely switch, despite the fact some families could save up to £100 a year. There are currently over 120 different tariffs, making it very difficult to know where to start.

“That is going to change. As of this Autumn, your supplier will have to contact you with the best tariff for your needs. And if you call them, they’ll have to offer you the best deal too.

“We’re also working with energy companies to put special barcodes on energy bills. You’ll be able to scan them with your smartphone to get quotes and switch tariff or supplier in a matter of minutes.

“Plus we’re working with consumer groups to make it easier for people to club together and switch supplier. Consumers will be able to use their collective purchasing power to bring down bills.

“We want to see consumers saving money and engage with the energy they use. Precisely the kind of thrift that is good for pockets as well as the planet.”

Bills can be further reduced with energy efficiency measures such as installing loft and cavity wall insulation – which the Government requires the big energy suppliers to help households with and provide free to some of the most vulnerable consumers.

The best tariff offer is part of a package for consumers agreed between Government and the major energy suppliers which also includes:
•Investigating putting barcodes on bills which, when scanned by a smartphone, will allow customers to find quotes and online switching.
•Big Energy Week 2. Energy companies will provide support for a second Big Energy Week coordinated by Citizens Advice.

Outreach events in communities will connect consumers, particularly the vulnerable, with sources of help with their bills. This will build on the success of the first Big Energy Week in January this year.

The companies also confirmed their commitment to simplifying their tariffs and supporting collective switching, where customers switch together as a group to get the best deal.

As changes to tenancy deposit protection laws come into force, Shelter has called on landlords to make sure that they are protecting their tenants’ deposits.

From Friday 6 April 2012, landlords will be allowed a maximum of 30 days from the start of a tenancy to deposit their tenant’s deposit in one of the three official protection schemes instead of the previous 14 days.

The fine for failing to carry this out will now be up to a judge to decide, instead of the present fixed penalty, and will be between one and three times the value of the deposit, which will be awarded to the tenant.

Shelter has long campaigned for the changes to tenancy deposit protection law, which tighten up loopholes making the law more effective for both tenants and landlords.

With the increase in homeowners becoming landlords, many perhaps for the first time, it is important that they are aware of their responsibilities towards their tenants to avoid unknowingly breaking the law, particularly with regards to tenant deposits.

With thousands of people coming to Shelter every year for help with disputes over deposits, Shelter wants to make sure that all landlords, whether professional or homeowners letting their property, are abiding by the law and avoiding unnecessary disputes and potential financial penalties.

Campbell Robb, Shelter’s Chief Executive, said:

“This legislation is enormously important for the three million households privately renting and for their landlords.

“With these vital improvements the legislation can achieve what it was created for – setting out clear responsibilities and timescales for landlords to protect tenants’ deposits and providing a quick and efficient way of resolving any disputes.

“We know that the majority of landlords want to do the right thing, the challenge is to ensure that they are not caught out by these changes and that they fully understand their legal responsibilities. We want landlords to know that this legislation benefits them as well as providing private renters with the reassurance that their hard-earned deposits are protected.’

David Salusbury, Chairman, National Landlords Association, said:

“These changes are good news for landlords who now have extra time to ensure the deposit is properly protected.

“Tenancy deposit protection has been instrumental in improving standards in the private rented sector. It has revolutionised the dispute process, ensuring both parties receive a fair hearing if there is a disagreement over the deposit return at the end of the tenancy.”

Landlords can get more information about deposit protection here

30 million homes and small businesses will have smart meters by 2019 enabling all consumers to have access to accurate information and bringing an end to estimated billing.

Energy and Climate Change minister Charles Hendry said:

“In less than three years energy suppliers will begin the mass rollout of smart meters across the country and I am determined that consumers are at the heart of this ambitious programme. That is why today we are proposing tough guidelines on installation, which will minimise inconvenience and help people to make the most of their smart meters to save energy and save money.

“In addition, I want to be absolutely clear to consumers that they will be in control of their energy consumption data. So apart from where it is required for billing or other regulated purposes, it will be for consumers to decide who can access their data.”

Key conclusions set out today include:

- there should be no sales during the installation visit

- installers must provide energy efficiency advice as part of the visit

- they will need the consumers permission in advance of the visit if they are to talk to them about their own particular products

- all households will be offered an in-home display allowing them to see what energy is being used and how much it is costing

Key proposals set out in the consultation documents include:

- consumers will have a choice about who has access to their data, except for data which is needed for billing and meeting other regulatory obligations, typically on a monthly basis

- a model for centralised communications activity to help all consumers understand how to use smart meters to better manage their energy consumption and expenditure

- proposals to ensure that vulnerable and low income consumers can benefit from the rollout

Mike O’Connor, Chief Executive of Consumer Focus said:

“We welcome the banning of sales during installation and that marketing will only be allowed if the customer agrees. This shows the Government has listened to consumers. We support the proposals to address consumer concerns around the privacy of information. But, to make this work, people must be aware of their rights and the choices available to them on how much information is passed to suppliers.

“It is also welcome that the Government has recognised the need for a much stronger and better co-ordinated strategy to engage consumers. Smart meters will only help people to become more energy efficient and cut their bills if they are able to easily understand and use the new technology. We hope this move will pave the way for a support scheme for vulnerable customers to ensure everyone gets the benefit of smart meters.”

Christine McGourty, Director of Energy UK, said:

“Smart meters are set to transform how consumers understand and manage their energy use at home, and today’s publications are an important milestone in this exciting national programme. Energy suppliers are working closely with DECC and other stakeholders to ensure that smart meters deliver real benefits to people in homes and businesses around Britain, and to ensure that protections for customers are robust. We also welcome the opportunity to continue to contribute to the consultation on the consumer engagement strategy, which has a crucial role to play.”

As the programme gears up for the beginning of mass rollout in 2014, the Government is consulting on proposed frameworks for consumer engagement and data access and privacy. These proposals will give greater clarity to suppliers and consumers about how that rollout will take place.

The Government has also confirming that suppliers should develop a code of practice covering a range of key areas around the installation process.

The Government is also publishing an update to the Smart Meters Implementation Programme, consultations on the Smart Energy Code and the Data and Communications Company licensing conditions, the Government Response to the Rollout consultation, and updated Impact Assessments for the domestic and non-domestic sectors. It is also publishing the Smart Metering Equipment Technical Specifications (SMETS), which will enable suppliers to install smart meters during the Foundation Stage that will satisfy their rollout obligations.

A new telephone line opened on Monday to give the public advice on how to save energy in their homes and businesses.

The phone line will be run by the Energy Saving Trust (EST) with Careline Services. As well as giving out advice on energy efficiency, it will provide information about existing government schemes like the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT), which requires energy suppliers to install free or subsidised insulation, and Warm Front, the government’s heating grant scheme.

Energy efficiency advisors will be on hand to take calls from the public on the new number of 0300 123 1234.

When the Green Deal launches in the autumn, the advice line will provide information to people wanting to learn more about the scheme. The Green Deal is the coalition’s plan to upgrade the nation’s draughty homes at no upfront cost.

Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said:

“Having a central and trusted advice line is crucial to ensure people have all the right information about how they can save energy and money. This phone line will ultimately be one of the ways the public will be able to learn more about the Green Deal when it is launched later this year, providing information on how people can benefit from this new and groundbreaking scheme.”

Philip Sellwood, Chief Executive of the Energy Saving Trust, said:

“We’ll continue to help people get the right advice at the right time, giving them the confidence to fit energy saving measures which help them to start saving money on their fuel bills. Drawing on our 20 years of consumer advice experience we’ll make sure that the advice given remains impartial and at the highest standard.”

Prospective homeowners will be given better and clearer advice on making their new homes more eco-friendly, Liberal Democrat Communities Minister Andrew Stunell announced today.

The Minister unveiled a package of measures to make energy information on properties easier to understand, which if followed could help customers save money on their fuel bills.

A new-look Energy Performance Certificate will give homebuyers clearer information about the energy efficiency of their homes. Alongside the recommendations for improvements, the new certificates will indicate to the consumer whether they can be funded through the Green Dea and Domestic Energy Assessors, who compile the Energy Performance Certificates, will have undergone further training to ensure these documents are produced to a consistently high standard and assured advice is given to prospective homeowners.

Prospective buyers and tenants will also be given this energy information much earlier in the buying process, to give them time to plan how they will implement some of the recommendations included.

From April, these buyers will also be able to compare the energy performance of their home with that of similar properties, as the National Energy Performance Certificate Register is opened up to public use for the first time, but to ensure the data is as secure as possible, companies wanting to use the Register will be required to sign a licensing agreement – which will include strict rules over how the data is used.

Communities Minister Andrew Stunell said:

“The Energy Performance Certificate has proved useful in putting the efficiency of our homes at the forefront of our minds, but homeowners can often struggle to know how to act on the advice it gives.

“That’s why we’re giving it a complete redesign, making it clearer and easier to understand and putting the recommendations for improvements into matters of pounds and pence by showing how much consumers could potentially save on their energy bills.

“And by making the national register of Energy Performance Certificates open to the public, each homeowner will for the first time be able to see how their property compares with others, and where changes could be made so their homes become as eco-friendly as possible.”

More than 250,000 people have registered for The Big Switch – where Which? will try to negotiate the cheapest energy deal on behalf of a group of gas and electricity customers.

The Big Switch aims to breathe life into the energy market by encouraging companies to compete to offer the best deal to a large group.

It is still possible to sign up to The Big Switch by providing your energy tariff, usage and supplier information before 25 April.

Cheaper energy bills

Executive director of Which? Richard Lloyd is encouraged by the snowballing popularity of The Big Switch. He said: ‘This campaign is a UK first and the response from consumers has been fantastic.’

Over a thousand people are signing up each day, with more than 9,000 joining in the last week. The more people who participate, the stronger Which?’s bargaining power with the energy companies.

Richard Lloyd added:

“Many energy companies have said they want a better relationship with their customers, so this is an opportunity for them to prove that they are serious about giving people the best possible deal.”

What is The Big Switch?

The Big Switch aims to secure the best gas and electricity deal for UK consumers. If you’re interested in taking part you can register for The Big Switch by providing information about your current supplier, tariff and energy use.

Which? will then negotiate with gas and electricity companies to try to secure a deal for the whole group.

If a deal is chosen, everyone who has registered will be given an estimate of how much money they would save on the new deal, and can then choose whether or not to accept it.

Read more: at http://ht.ly/a04O8

A public opinion poll, commissioned by the Local Government Association ahead of its annual fire conference this week, revealed that 7%of the people in England did not have a smoke alarm in their home and a separate analysis by the LGA suggests that this is the equivalent of 1.5 million English homes.

Fire and rescue service leaders are now urging householders to ensure their home is not a potential fire death trap by making sure they have a working alarm fitted
.
Official statistics show that more than one in three fires attended by fire crews are in buildings which do not have an alarm, and firefighters have also raised concerns that even in homes where alarms are present, they are not being properly checked.

Government guidance recommends that people carry out weekly tests, but the results of an opinion poll carried out by Comres for the LGA last weekend revealed that only one of every eight people test their alarms as often as they should do.

The poll found that:

• 12% of people test their smoke alarm every week

• 52% check less than once per month or not at all
• 7% do not have a working smoke alarm, while a further 1% said they did not know.

The survey also revealed that people aged between 18 and 24 were nearly twice as likely as older people to say they do not have a working smoke alarm in their home.

Cllr Brian Coleman, Chairman of the LGA’s Fire Services Management Committee, said:
“It is nothing less than shocking that more than a million homes in England do not have a smoke alarm installed.

“A working smoke alarm can make the difference between life and death and should be seen as every bit as essential as a lock on the front door.

“More than 300 people still die in fires every year. People who do not have a working alarm are putting themselves and others at risk.

“Smoke alarms are available for free in many areas and most DIY shops sell them for a few pounds.

“We would urge anyone who hasn’t got one fitted already to make sure they are not needlessly putting themselves at risk of the death and destruction fire can cause by getting in touch with their local fire authority and requesting a home safety check.”

Responding to Scottish and Southern Energy’s failed appeal against the guilty verdict for doorstep mis-selling in a court case pursued by Surrey Trading Standards, Audrey Gallacher, director of energy at Consumer Focus said:

“This is an important judgement for consumers and hats off to Surrey Trading Standards for its persistence and dogged pursuit of SSE through the courts.

“Today’s guilty verdict shows this wasn’t the action of rogue salespeople but the failure of a whole system which was bound to mislead consumers. Because of this failure to market services responsibly and fairly, people could well have moved to more expensive energy deals despite thinking they were getting a better deal. It shouldn’t take legal action from Trading Standards to make one of our biggest energy suppliers play fair with customers.

“The guilty verdict will have done little to shift consumers’ mistrust toward energy suppliers and how they sell their products. Consumers need clear rules on selling energy to be burned into the minds of energy companies and to know that these will enforced vigorously. Only then can consumer trust start to grow again in this market.

“Door-step energy selling could work if done properly, but the truth is that the behaviour of companies means that it has been thoroughly discredited. Five of the Big Six have already dropped it and now we would call on E.ON to see sense and stop it immediately.”