Energy bills create chills in the cold, says Which?
18 January 2010
With freezing temperatures hitting the UK in the last few weeks, many consumers are worried about paying their energy bills, reveals a new survey* from Which? Switch (www.which.co.uk/switch).
Around two thirds (65%) of consumers quizzed by the independent energy switching service said they’d been thinking more about their energy bills because of the recent cold weather.
More than a third (38%) said they were worried about paying their energy bill this month. Some people confessed to dipping into their own – or their children’s – savings to make sure they could afford to pay their bills, while some cut back on spending in other areas, sacrificing gym memberships or holidays**. Over half said they were wearing more clothes to keep heating bills to a minimum***.
Almost a third (31%) had either switched energy provider or called to check they were on the cheapest tariff****.
Martyn Hocking, Editor, Which?, says:
“There’s little choice but to turn the heating up when you’re faced with cold weather, so it’s inevitable that people are going to worry about their bills.
“It’s worth logging on to which.co.uk/switch to check if you’re getting the best deal – switching energy providers is quick and easy, and it can save you hundreds of pounds*****. If you are already on the best tariff, you may be able to cut your bills further by taking a few simple steps, like paying by direct debit or on a monthly basis, or moving to an online account.”
With the cold snap set to continue, Which? Switch also looked at the actions people took to stay warm during cold weather and discovered the following top five:
1. Put on extra clothes (84%)
2. Had a warm drink (73%)
3. Had a filling meal (40%)
4. Blocked draughts under doors/ windows (39%)
5. Stayed in bed (37%)
Three people even admitted to making love to stay warm.
Notes to Editor
For further information or to set up an interview, contact Nicole Gross on 0207 770 7564 or nicole.gross@which.co.uk.
To make it easier for consumers to understand how much energy they’re using and how much it costs, Which? is campaigning for simpler energy bills and comparable tariffs. To find out more visit www.which.co.uk/energy.
*Which Switch? (www.which.co.uk/switch ) surveyed 1,066 adults aged 16-64 in the UK online from 7th – 11th January 2010.
**14% of people responsible for paying bills have used savings (their own or their children’s) to ensure they could pay their energy bills during cold weather, while 18% of people responsible for paying bills have made cancellations or cut backs (including gym memberships, leisure, holidays).
***57% of people responsible for paying bills have put on extra clothes to keep the heating low or off to ensure they could pay their energy bills during cold weather.
****31% of people responsible for paying bills have either switched their energy provider or called them to check they were on the cheapest tariffs to ensure they could pay their energy bills during cold weather.
***** Households that changed supplier or tariff between 1st January 2009 and 21st October 2009 using Which? Switch saved £263 a year on average.
Which? Switch is the only not-for-profit, Consumer Direct-approved switching site, ensuring pricing, systems and procedures have been thoroughly checked and validated by another independent organisation. Customers can go to www.which.co.uk/switch.