Help to stay warm this winter, and save money on energy bills

Oldham Council has introduced the Warm Homes Oldham scheme to support households in staying warm while keeping energy bills low this winter.

The council is offering Oldham residents:

• Advice on reducing energy use around the home and using heating controls effectively.
• Help with switching energy suppliers or tariffs and registering on the Extra Care Register.
• Small energy-saving measures (like draught-proofing, LED light bulbs and reflective radiator foils)
• Oil-filled radiators in an emergency, no-heat situation.

“We can provide schemes that will accept an application from you, but applying through us will mean that you “may” not have to pay anything, subject to meeting qualifying criteria,” reads a statement from the Oldham Council.

Some such schemes are:

• Age UK Oldham for furniture, minor adaptations and repairs 
• GMCA ECO4 scheme helps low-income and vulnerable households to access free energy efficiency measures that could lower energy bills.

On the other hand, there are several other schemes to support households in need amid the cost-of-living crisis that can only be referred to by the council. These are:

•  BBC Children in Need Emergency Essentials for furniture and white goods
• E-vouchers for fuel vouchers for electricity or gas
• Food Bank Oldham for food parcels

Here are some practical energy-saving tips:

• Get a smart meter to monitor your energy use and track appliances running your bills up.
• Turn your temperature down on your thermostat. It sounds obvious, but it’s estimated that turning it down by even one degree could save you up to 10% on your bill.
• If you have a condensing boiler (installed after 2005), you can adjust your flow temperature and save money. This is the dial with the radiator icon on the front of your boiler. Dial it to 60°C or less if you have a newer property, and your boiler will work more efficiently (condensing mode).
• Bleed your radiators. If the top is cold, it’s not heating thoroughly. It would be best to have a radiator key, but once it bled, your boiler won’t have to work as hard to keep your room warm.
• Turn radiators off in rooms you’re not using and close the doors. This will help insulate your home.
• Keep your internal doors shut and curtains closed – especially in rooms you’re not using.
• If you’ve got laminate, wood, or tiled floors, try to use a rug if you have one. Up to 10% of heat can be lost through your floors.
• Not leaving appliances on standby could save up to £147 a year. These are things such as your TV, microwave, or phone chargers, which all cost you money if you leave them plugged in.
• Use LED bulbs. They use at least 75% less energy and last up to 25 times longer than regular bulbs.
• If you’re making a brew, only boil enough for the cups you’re making. Your kettle won’t need to work as hard, so it’s cheaper to run.

*The Warm Homes Registration form can be found here.

** Warm Homes Oldham can be contacted on 0800 019 1084. E-mail: warmhomes@oldham.gov.uk