Energy prices have risen and suppliers are going out of business. Citizens Advice Charnwood offers tips on what you should do and how to save on your energy bills.

What happens if your energy supplier goes bust?
Don't panic, you won't be cut off. Take a meter reading straight away and a photo of your meter, if possible.
You will be appointed a new supplier within a few days – wait until they get in touch with you.
Don't switch – leave the decision until you are with a new supplier as it could complicate things if you are in credit or have a fuel debt.

Energy saving tips

• Understand your heating system and its controls - take time to learn how the heating system works and how to use the controls properly so that you can use it in the best and most cost-effective way for you.
• Turn your thermostat down - reducing it by 1°C could save you energy and money without noticing any difference.
• Avoid drying clothes on your radiators - this lowers the quantity of heat released by the radiators.
• Keep furniture away from your radiators – the foam in upholstered furniture is a very effective heat insulator and prevents it getting into your room.
• Draw the curtains - especially at night, to keep the warmth in and the cold out. Also, tuck your curtains behind the radiators.
• Fit draught proofing around windows and doors.
• Check the insulation in your loft/roof - around 25% of heat lost in a typical uninsulated home escapes through the roof. You should have at least 270mm (11.5 inches) of insulation in the loft.
• Fit radiator reflector panels - you can lose heat if a radiator is on an external wall, especially if it isn't insulated. Reflector panels help to reflect that heat back into the room.
• Avoid estimated bills - keep your bills accurate by submitting regular meter readings to your energy supplier.
• Replace your light bulbs with energy-efficient versions - lighting accounts for about 7% of a household's energy bill and energy-saving (CFL) bulbs use about 75-80% less energy.
• Turning off the lights cansave you around £15 a year
• Only use energy when you really need to and avoid standby - leaving appliances on standby can use as much as 75% of the energy they use when they're fully switched on,
• Spend less time in the shower - spending one minute less in the shower each day will save up to £8 a year off your energy bills, per person.
• Cook sensibly - choose the right-sized pan for the food and the cooker. Cut food into smaller pieces and put lids on pans. The food will cook a lot quicker and use less power.
  Use your toaster rather than your grill - a toaster uses less energy than a grill.
  Don't overuse your kettle - only boil as much water as you need.
  Leave your oven door open after you've finished cooking in the oven to keep the kitchen warm.
  Use a slow cooker – theytake longer to cook food but they're cheaper to run than conventional ovens.
  Use your microwave - if you're defrosting food, or just warming things up, microwave ovens use much less electricity than conventional ovens.
• When washing, use full loads - this will reduce the number of loads. If you need to do less than a full load, use the 'half load' or 'economy' setting on your washing machine.
  Use the 30°C wash setting - nowadays this is more than adequate to clean clothes and will save you up to 75% of the cost of the hottest cycle.
  Use a shorter wash cycle _ acycle that lasts an hour, for example, is adequate for most washes.
• Ditch the tumble dryer - how often do you need clothes dry in an hour? Not often? Dry naturally, or invest in a clothes maiden.
• Don't heat your water to a scalding temperature - for most people, 60°C/140°F is quite adequate.
• Use manual tools in the kitchen - for example, bread making and whisking can be done by hand.
• Don't leave your iron on - irons consume a lot of electricity so switch yours off when you're not using it.
• When you can, either let your hair dry naturally, or towel dry it - hair dryers consume lots of electricity.
• Put on an extra layer! - adding more layers really does keep you warmer.
• Insulate your hot water cylinder

If you are struggling financiallyor on a low income ring our Energy Adviser on 01509 221202 for help and advice.

Citizens Advice Charnwood's Local Enquiry line on 01509 649605 is open on Mondays and Thursdays 9.30 am – 3.00pm & Tuesday 9.30am – 12 noon.
Up to date information can also be found on the websitewww.charnwoodcab.org.uk

Other Information sources: https://www.confusedaboutenergy.co.uk/ and https://www.savethestudent.org/accommodation/how-much-does-energy-cost-an-hour.html