Helping hand on energy bills in UK’s first-of-a-kind FREE support service

July 19, 2017 by SBC

Wednesday 19th July 2017

Hundreds of hard-pressed households in Southend-on-Sea that need a helping hand will receive free insulation, advice and energy-saving measures.

It is part of a national support service called the Local Energy Advice Programme (LEAP) launched locally by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council. In what would be the first Council area to extend the service further, LEAP is also discussing with Essex and Suffolk Water how water efficiency can be included.

As part of the service, a qualified LEAP Home Energy Advisor will visit residents’ homes to take a look at their current heating and warmth levels. The advisor will then fit a variety of energy and water-saving measures, such as draught-proofing, low-energy LED lightbulbs, radiator panels and shower savers, which can save households around £30 a year on their energy bills.

The energy advisor will also check if the house has uninsulated cavity walls or an uninsulated loft. If so, it may be possible to arrange for insulation to be installed for free. ?

The energy advisor will also be able to give free energy-efficiency hints and tips and, if they have a heating controller, advice on how to set it to save energy. The residents’ energy tariffs will be checked and, if they are not on the best tariff, the energy advisor will help them to change to a cheaper one. The energy advisor will also highlight the savings available from switching, including those available with our own Southend Energy tariff, offered in partnership with OVO. On average, a household can save over £200 a year by switching their heating and electricity supply to a cheaper tariff.

The energy advisor can also arrange for a follow-up telephone consultation with a money-advice specialist from IncomeMax. IncomeMax helps householders to access millions of pounds of unclaimed benefits, grants and other financial help. IncomeMax advisors know what help is available for priority bills like energy, water, rent, mortgages and council tax, and can also help deal with any debt problems.

Cllr Ann Holland, Executive Councillor for Culture, Tourism and the Economy, said: “Southend-on-Sea Borough Council has an excellent track record for delivering successful energy projects in the borough. This includes the launch of Southend Energy, which has saved residents an average of £250* per year, the borough-wide roll-out of LED street lighting and the installation of electricity generation on school buildings.

“The LEAP service enables us to build upon our previous successes, tackle fuel poverty locally and help some of the most hard-pressed residents in our communities to keep their homes warm and cosy.”

Gearóid Lane, CEO of AgilityEco, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Southend-on-Sea Borough Council to launch the LEAP service here in Southend. In the many council areas across Britain where LEAP is already operating, residents have been very positive about the help and support they have received.”

The LEAP service is being promoted by direct referrals from Council workers and local partners in the public and voluntary sectors. All visits will be by appointment only and LEAP Home Energy Advisors will carry photo ID.

Who’s eligible? The LEAP service is available to those on low income, benefits or with certain physical and mental health problems. Full eligibility criteria are set here.

The service is open to those living in owner-occupied, private-rented sector or social housing, who meet the eligibility criteria.

To find out more about the LEAP service and whether you qualify, please visit: www.applyforleap.org.uk or call 0800 0607567.