How to reduce your energy bills

Read the Energy Saving Trust’s guidance.

Make changes to your day-to-day activities.

Powering your home 

Do not leave items such as TVs, microwaves, or mobile phones on standby or charging when they do not need to be. Make sure they are switched off at the plug when not in use. 

Heating your home 

• Set the thermostat to a constant temperature (changing the temperature often uses more energy).
• The ideal room temperature is between 18 to 21 degrees celsius.
• Turning down your thermostat by only one degree celsius could reduce your heating bills by up to 10 percent.

Keeping heat in your home

• Curtains can help to keep heat in (during winter) as well as keep heat out (during the warmer months).
• During autumn and winter, try to get thick curtains and close them as soon as it gets dark.
• Ensure your curtains do not cover radiators.
• During spring and summer, close your curtains during the warmest part of the day.

Lighting your home

• Turn off lights when you are not using them and use good quality light bulbs - look for lightbulbs that are rated 'C' or higher.

Join the Priority Service Register

If you are old enough to claim a pension, or you have an issue with your health, you can join the register of your energy supplier. Most energy companies offer a range of free services (such as those listed below) to customers on this register:

• A gas appliance safety check (if everyone in the home is eligible).
• Quarterly meter readings.
• Help in moving an energy meter if it is in a difficult position.
• A personal password for gas and electricity staff to use every time they call at the person’s home, to confirm they are genuine.
• Bills sent to a friend or family member on their behalf.
• Bills supplied in different formats, such as large print or Braille, by cassette, or in a different language.

You can be added to the register by contacting your energy supplier; see Priority Services Register.

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Warm Home Discount

If you are a pensioner or on a low income, you may be able to get the Warm Home Discount a discount of £150 on your electricity bill between October and March every year.

The money is not paid directly to you - it’s a one-off discount applied to your electricity bill between early October and the end of March. You’ll usually get the discount automatically if you’re eligible. 

Cold Weather payment

You can receive a payment of £25 to help cover extra heating costs in very cold weather.

You will receive this payment every time the temperature in your area becomes very cold (below zero degrees Celsius) for seven days in a row or more and every time this happens between 1 November to 31 March.

You can receive this payment if you receive any of the benefits listed below:

• Pension credit.
• Income support.
• Income based jobseeker’s allowance.
• Income related employment and support allowance.
• Universal credit.
• Support for mortgage interest.

Find out more about the cold weather payment on the government website.

Grants to pay off energy debts 

The big six energy companies have funds that could help you if you are struggling to pay your energy bills. These energy companies are British Gas, EDF Energy, EON, Npower, Scottish Power and SSE. 

British Gas Energy Trust offers grants to anyone. You do not need to be a British Gas customer. 

Some energy suppliers offer grants only for their customers. A list of suppliers that offer these grants can be found on Citizens Advice. 

The Winter fuel payment is an annual one off payment to help you pay for heating during the winter. You could receive between £100 and £300 to help pay your heating bills. You can receive this if you were born before 27 September 1955, and you have lived in the UK since before 20 September 2021.

If you’re eligible, you’ll get a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions in October or November saying how much you’ll get.

If you do not get a letter but you think you’re eligible, check if you need to make a claim.

HEET project

HEET can help make your home warmer and reduce your energy bills if you are in receipt of benefits or are aged 60 or over. HEET are a charity who have worked in Waltham Forest for many years.

A resident (or organisation acting on their behalf) can contact HEET by any of the three ways listed below.

• calling 020 8520 1900 (local rates apply),
• emailing info@theheetproject.org.uk,
• by completing their online referral form

Citizen's Advice Waltham Forest

Citizen's Advice can help someone to increase their income, apply for energy grants, understand their energy bills or manage their finances or fuel debt.

To speak to the Waltham Forest branch, call 0808 278 7838 (national rates apply).

Age UK Waltham Forest

If you are aged 50 or over, Age UK can help you by providing advice around debt, benefits, and support with energy costs.
Call 020 8558 5512 (local rates apply).

Morgan Sindall Property Services (our tenants and leaseholders only)

Morgan Sindall Property Services provides free energy advice over the telephone or online (such as via Zoom). They also provide group energy advice sessions.
Please email CSRbox@morgansindall.com.

Our private-sector licensing team

We have a property licensing and trading standards team. They will take action against private landlords who are renting homes that are not safe or good quality. A landlord can be given a fine if a home is not safe. They can also take action against a landlord who lets a poorly insulated home, or a home with a poor quality central heating system.

To report a bad-quality property to this team, please email propertylicensing@walthamforest.gov.uk or call 0208 496 4949.

Our Fuel Poverty Strategy 2020 to 2025 (PDF) is our action plan to tackle fuel poverty and help residents who may be struggling to heat their homes or pay their energy.