Where To Get Help With Energy Bills In Ireland
The topic of energy costs is being widely discussed across Ireland, with a growing awareness of net zero targets against the backdrop of homes becoming more and more expensive to run. Balancing sustainability with the growing squeeze on our everyday budgets can be tricky, but there are lots of ways that you can get help with your energy bills and different tips and tricks to cut down on both costs and your impact on the planet.
Talk To Your Energy Provider
If you need help with your energy bills, it is well worth having a conversation with your provider. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has certain requirements that energy suppliers must adhere to that can benefit you when you are struggling with payments. These include:
- Training their staff to aid customers experiencing difficulty.
- Offer customers alternative payment options, allowing at least 24 months to repay any debt.
- Offer the cheapest possible tariff to customers experiencing financial hardship.
- Follow the terms of the Energy Engage Code.
The last thing any energy supplier wants to do is lose a client, so having a conversation about how they can help is a good starting point for getting help with your energy bills.
Household Benefits Package
The Household Benefits Package is a government grant available to people aged 70 or over, or otherwise meet certain conditions. It consists of two separate allowances. One entitles you to a free television licence, and the other is where you can get some help with your energy bills, providing you with €35 per month towards either your gas or electricity bill (your choice).
Social Welfare Support
There are a number of different packages available from the Department of Social Protection that have been put together with the specific purpose of helping people with their energy expenditure. The Households Benefits Package is one of these, but there is also the Winter Fuel Allowance and Additional Needs Payment (ANP).
What Else Can You Do To Save Money On Your Energy Bills?
Change Your Energy Habits
Small behavioural changes at home quickly add up and can really help with your energy bills. If you want to reduce your energy bills at home, some of our top suggestions are:
- Keeping lights switched off.
- Unplugging devices that aren’t in use.
- Keep your heating at a slightly lower temperature.
- Switching to LED bulbs over Halogen ones.
- Try to buy energy efficient appliances where you can.
- Lessen the amount of water wasted wherever possible.
Invest In Making Your Home More Energy Efficient
You can reap the benefits of some seriously long-term savings by investing in the energy efficiency of your home. There are a multitude of different products that you can make use of to achieve this.
A heat pump system is an increasingly popular choice. It’s incredibly efficient, taking in heat energy from outdoors to power your central heating system. However, where you can make real savings is by combining a heat pump with underfloor heating! The two systems are designed to work well together at low temperatures and this makes them much cheaper to run than a conventional gas or oil boiler system. We encourage you to make use of our full design service, which will help you to understand the best investments that you can make in your home to help with your heating bills in the long-term.
With over 50 years of experience in the business, Pipelife’s experienced engineering team is equipped with all the knowledge and tools to help you make your home as energy efficient as possible. To find out more about the variety of products that we offer, don’t hesitate to get in touch today.