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Our service to you

Using electricity and gasefficiently in your home

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For details of how to contact us see the back cover of this booklet.

Interpreting serviceIf you tell us English is not your first language, we can talk to you in any language with the aidof a translator. Ask someone to call us on your behalf to tell us that you need to speak to us in your preferred language.

Os byddwch chi’n dweud wrthym nad Saesneg yw eich mamiaith, gallwn siarad â chi mewnunrhyw iaith gyda help cyfieithydd. Gofynnwch i rywun ein galw ar eich rhan i ddweud wrthymeich bod angen siarad â ni yn eich dewis iaith.

If you would like more information on any of the services described in this booklet,please contact us.

How to contact us

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Contents PageIntroduction 4

Our service to you booklets 5

Energy Efficiency Helpline 6

Home Energy Efficiency Reports 7

Monitoring your energy use 8

How electricity is measured

How gas is measured

How to read your meter

How much energy do you use?

Your bill

Heating your home 13

Heating controls

Boilers

Warm air central heating Storage heating

Domestic appliances 16

Reducing the amount of energy you use 18

Fridges, freezers and fridge-freezers

Laundry

Cooking

Lighting

Water heating Room heating

Insulation 22

Carbon monoxide 24

Grants 26

Further information and advice 29

Warm Response Service 30

Customer Service Back cover

Our service to youUsing electricity and gas efficiently in your home

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This booklet tells you how to use electricityand gas more efficiently in your home.You can make savings on your energy billsand do your bit to help the environment,without reducing the level of comfortand convenience in your home. If youare having problems paying your energybill, you may benefit from energy

efficiency advice.

If you would like more information on anyof the services described in this booklet,please contact us. All customer service staffhave been trained on the services describedin this booklet and will do everything theycan to help.

If you need any more advice about usingelectricity and gas efficiently, you can call ourEnergy Efficiency Helpline on

All advice and literature is free of charge.

Introduction

0800 02 22 20(free from most landlines) or

(included in any ‘inclusive minutes’ from mobiles)0330 100 8620

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We want to ensure that all our customersare treated fairly and receive a service thatmeets their needs. The following bookletsare available:

• Paying for gas and electricity

• Prepayment meters

• Using electricity and gas efficiently in your home

• Warm Response Service

• Free gas safety checks

• Visiting your home

If you ask us, we will send you any of thesebooklets in large print, in Braille, on CD orin another language.

If you would like more information on anyof the services described in this booklet,please contact us. All customer service staffhave been trained on the services described

in this booklet and will do everything theycan to help.

Our service to you booklets

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We are committed to helping you improvethe efficiency of energy use in your home,so we have an Energy Efficiency Helplinethat you can call for information or advice.

We provide the following services, freeof charge:

• We will give you advice on ways touse electricity, gas and appliancesmore efficiently.

• We can offer advice on the benefits ofswitching to a different tariff, such asEconomy 7.

• We can send you a range of leaflets.

• We will tell you where to get financial

help to make your home moreenergy efficient.

• We will give you impartial adviceand can offer you the details ofother organisations that offer energyefficiency advice.

• We can visit your home if we feel thisis appropriate.

• We can speak at meetings and supportexhibitions and events.

To make sure you receive high qualityadvice, our Energy Efficiency Helpline isindependently monitored. Our advisersare trained to City and Guilds standardin Energy Awareness and NVQ level 2 in

Providing Energy Efficiency Services.

Energy Efficiency Helpline

FREEPOST-RRJA-XZBS-HAEREnergy EfficiencynpowerTees HouseTraynor WayPETERLEESR8 2RS

The helpline is open from 8am-6pm

Monday to Friday, and 9am- 5pm onSaturdays. We have set ourselves a targetto answer your call within 20 seconds. Atother times you can leave a message onour answer machine and we will call youback as soon as we can. We aim to callback on the same day if you call withinworking hours, or on the first working dayafter your call if you call out of hours.

Energy Efficiency Helpline


(included in any ‘inclusive minutes’ from mobiles)

0330 100 8620

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If you would like a detailed report about your home we will send you an EnergyEfficiency Home Survey form.

Answer the simple questionsabout your home and returnthe form to us.We will then produce a report from theinformation you provide, suggesting themost cost-effective measures to helpreduce the amount of energy you use in your home. The report gives details ofapproximate costs, typical cost savingsand payback periods. It will also provideinformation about grants and otherfinancial help that may be available.

Home Energy Efficiency Reports

To request a Energy EfficiencyHome Survey form contact nergyEfficiency Helpline on



0330 100 8620

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To be more energy-efficient you need toknow how much energy you use.

To do this you must understand:

• how electricity and gas are measured,

• how to read your meter, and

• how to work out how much energy you use.

How electricity is measuredYour meter records how much electricity you use in units. One unit is equal to one‘kilowatt hour’. If you use an appliance witha rating of 1000 watts for one hour, youwill have used one kilowatt hour (1 kWh).

The power rating plate on any electricalappliance tells you how much electricityit uses in one hour, described in watts orkilowatts (1000 watts = 1 kilowatt). Thehigher the number of watts, the moreexpensive the appliance is to run.

You can measure how much electricity

an appliance is using by multiplying thewattage by the number of hours you use it.For example, if you use a 100 watt bulb for10 hours, you will have used one kilowatthour (100 watts x 10 hours = 1000 = 1kWh= 1 unit).

See the table below for somemore examples:

Monitoring your energy use

Appliance Description of use Average units used*

Kettle 7 litres of boiling water 1 unit

Iron one hour 1 unit

Automatic washing machine one full load at 40˚C 2 to 3 units

Colour television 6 hours’ viewing 1 unit

Dishwasher one full load 3 to 4 units

Fridge-freezer one day 2 to 3 units

Tumble dryer one hour 3 to 4 units

Cooker one week’s meals for afamily of 4

25 to 30 units

* We have given average figures based on the power rating of the appliances. Running costs will vary according to the individual appliance rating and howefficiently they are used.

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How gas is measuredGas is also sold by the unit (kWh). However, the gas meter measures the volume of gas usedas 100s of cubic feet or cubic metres. This is converted to units on your bill as shown in thefollowing example:

Here are some examples of gas appliances and their usage:

Appliance Description of use Average units used*

Gas hotplate One hour on high setting4 hours on low setting

4 units1 unit

Grill 15 minutes on high setting 1 unit

Oven One hour at Gas Mark 5 1 unit

Gas tumble dryer One hour 4 units

* We have given average figures based on the power rating of the appliances. Running costs will vary according to the individual appliance rating and howefficiently they are used.

ExampleCurrent meter reading 6543 (100s cubic feet)

Previous meter reading 6418 (100s cubic feet)

Number of units used 125 (100s cubic feet)

125 (gas used) x 2.83 (imperial to metric conversion factor) = 353.75 (leave this step out if your meter measuresin cubic metres - this is shown on the front of the meter)

353.75 x 1.022640 (volume conversion factor) x 39.0 (calorific value) = 14108.6 (Consult your bill for calorificvalue, as this figure will vary)

14108.6 – 3.6 (kilowatt hour conversion factor) = 3919.05 (kWh used)

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How to read your meterThere are a number of different types of meter. Always read your meter from left to right andignore any numbers after the decimal point, or in red.

Digital meterThe digital meter can be single or dual rate(electricity only). A single rate meter has onerow of figures and a dual rate meter has two.

The top row is usually labelled ‘low’ and thebottom row is labelled ‘normal’. Always takeboth readings.

Electronic meterThe electronic meter can be single or dualrate (electricity only). A single rate meterhas one row of figures. A dual rate meterwill show the normal rate meter reading,press the display button to see the low ratereading. Always take both readings.

Dial meterThis is the older type of meter and showsthe number of units on dials. If thepointer is between two figures, always

read the number the pointer has justpassed (adjacent dials turn in oppositedirections). Ignore the red dial.

In this example start at the bottom lefthand corner, reading from left to right.

• The first dial is between 1 and 2. Read 1.

• The next dial is just on 4. Check the thirddial to decide whether to read as 3 or 4.

• The third dial is just on 0. Check the fourthdial to decide whether to read as 0 or 9.

• The fourth dial is also on 0. Check the fifthdial to decide whether to read as 0 or 9.

• The fifth dial is just before 9. So read thisdial as 8.

Read the fourth dial as 9, the third dial as9, and the second dial as 3.

Therefore the meter reads 13998.

« Single RateElectricity MeterReading = 03472

X

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Prepayment metersThere are several types of prepaymentmeters. Electricity prepayment meterscan be single or dual rate. Token metersare read as digital meters. Smart meters(electricity) and Quantum meters (gas)are read like an electronic meter.

You must use a payment card to buy creditand to ensure payments are credited to your account. If you move into a propertywith a prepayment meter you must get anew card. Do not use any cards left behindby previous occupiers or you could end uppaying twice.

How much energy do you use?To work out how much electricity or gas you are using, just do the following:

To work out how much your electricity

is costing you, find the price of one unit ofelectricity from your bill, and multiply it bythe number of units you have used.

For more information about prepaymentmeters please ask for our booklet

‘Prepayment meters’.

Write down your meter reading today

units

On the same day in a week’s timewrite down the new reading

units

Take away the first reading fromthe second reading to give you the

number of units you have used

units

If you need advice on reading your meter,please contact Customer Service or askfor our fact sheet

‘How to read your meter’.

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If you are monitoring your gas use, convert the units on the meter to kWhs using the methodshown on page 9. Then calculate the cost by multiplying the result by the cost of a unit of gas.

Don’t forget to add VAT at the rate shown on your bill.

Choosing the right tariff for yourenergy use

Electricity users have the choice to use astandard rate domestic tariff, where theprice is the same 24 hours a day, or tochoose a day/night tariff such as Economy 7.This gives you cheaper fuel for 7 hours overthe night-time period, usually starting ataround midnight in the winter or 1 am in thesummer. You would pay a little more thanthe standard rate tariff for electricity used

during the remaining hours.

Economy 7 is usually the tariff you need if you heat your home by electricity. And if your family uses a lot of electricity, you may

save money by switching to Economy 7 if you change some of your electricity usageto overnight. The Energy Efficiency Helplinecan advise you on how to decide which tariffis best for your circumstances. If you decideto switch, we may need to change yourmeter. This will be done free of charge.

Your billYour bill shows your latest and previousmeter readings. The difference between thetwo is the number of units you have usedduring the billing period.

If your bill is estimated we recommendthat you read the meter yourself and giveus your reading. Send it to us or call the24-hour automated meter readingfreephone number shown on your bill.

If you are having problems paying yourgas or electricity bill, or you want adviceon the best way to pay, please contactCustomer Service or ask for our booklet

‘Paying for gas and electricity’.

If you feel you are using a lot of gas orelectricity, you can phone our EnergyEfficiency Helpline on

for advice on reducing the amountof energy you use.

0800 02 22 20(free from most landlines)

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Space and water heating account for around 60% of average fuel bills. Actual costs forheating a whole house or an individual room will vary according to the type of house.The table below gives some examples of the cost of providing space and water heating:

We have produced these figures with permission from Salkent Ltd (October2007) and they are based on an average home in the Midlands region of the

UK with the following considerations:

(1) 9850 kWh space heating and 2000 kWh water heating using a gas-firedboiler, radiators and hot water cylinder, standard boiler 70% averageefficiency, condensing boiler 85% average efficiency.

(2) 13500 kWh space heating and 2500 kWh water heating using a gas-firedboiler, radiators and hot water cylinder, standard boiler 70% averageefficiency, condensing boiler 85% average efficiency.

(3) Based on heating an average room. Gas heating by radiant and convectorfire, electric heating by storage heater (90%) and electric fire (10%).

(4) Storage heaters (living room), electric radiators (bedroom) and immersionwater heater, based on 90% night use and 10% day use.

(5) Gas price costs are based on two-tier Direct Debit tariff, alternativegas supplier.

(6) Electricity prices based on representative supplier, two-tier Economy 7Direct Debit tariff.

Heating your home

Type of heating Two bedroom

terrace

Three bedroom

semi-detached house

Individual

room

Mains gas with standard

boiler (5)

£550 (1) £698 (2) £261 (3)

Mains gas withcondensing boiler (5)

£473 (1) £584 (2) £261 (3)

Off-peak electricity (6) £755 (4) £993 (4) £177 (3)

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Heating controlsGood central heating controls mean youcan reduce your heating costs while keepingrooms at a comfortable temperature.

Radiator central heating systems The programmer automatically controls thetimes at which the central heating and hot

water systems are switched on and off. Thesimplest models contain a basic time switch.Advanced models allow you to programmethe heating and hot water for each day ofthe week according to your heating needs.

Cost: £60 to £100

Room thermostats are usually found in

the living room or hall. When the room hasreached its set temperature it sends a signalto the central heating pump to stop hotwater being circulated through the radiators.

You should set the thermostat to maintaina comfortable living room temperature(around 21˚C). Keeping your home toowarm is extremely expensive. Turning thethermostat down by 1˚C can save as muchas 10% on your heating bills.

Cost: £110 to £140

Annual money savings: £20 to £25+

Thermostatic radiator valves allow youto control the temperature in each roomwhere they are fitted. A thermostaticvalve fitted onto the radiator senses the airtemperature in the room and shuts off theflow of water through the radiator when theset temperature is reached.

Cost: £120 to £240 (whole house) Annual money savings: £10 to £20+

These costs assume a contractor carriesout work.

BoilersCondensing boilers are the most efficientway of providing space and water heating.They can run on natural gas, liquefiedpetroleum gas (LONG) or oil. They are muchmore efficient than conventional boilers, soif you are replacing your existing boiler, youshould consider a condensing boiler.

Cost: £250 to £400 (extra cost) Annual money savings: £50 to £150+

Combination boilers (combs boilers) providecentral heating and hot water without theneed for a separate hot water cylinder. Theyare popular in flats and small houses wherespace is limited, because there is no need forhot or cold water tanks. The running costsare lower because there is no stored hotwater, and water is heated as it is needed.Condensing combos further reduce the cost

of heating.

+ All savings are based on a gas heated, three bedroom semi-detached house. Source: The Energy Saving Trust.

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Warm air central heatingWarm air heating can be fuelled by gasor electricity and is controlled by timeswitches and room thermostats. Warmair is supplied to the house until the roomthermostat reaches its set temperature.Room temperature is regulated by manuallyopening or closing the air outlet grilles. You

must clean the air filters regularly so thatthe system operates efficiently.

Storage heatingStorage heaters use electricity at off-peaktimes. The heaters have electric elementsinside them that heat a very dense thermalblock overnight and release heat during the

following day.

The heaters usually have two controls.One regulates the amount of heat thatthe heater needs to store overnight, thesecond regulates the rate at which the heatis released.

For information about storage heatersask for our leaflet

‘Heating Your Home

IMPORTANT:To ensure your gas appliances work safelyand efficiently, they must be servicedevery year by a Gas Safe Register engineer(formerly CORGI). You can check that your local installer is registered by askingto see a Gas Safe Register ID card.

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New appliances tend to be more energy efficient than older ones. Below is a table showing acomparison of annual running costs for old and new appliances. (Source: The Energy Saving Trust).

Buying a new applianceFridges, freezers, fridge-freezers, washingmachines, tumble dryers, combinedwasher-dryers, dishwashers, lamps, electricovens and domestic air conditioners nowhave to carry a label to show how energyefficient they are.

The label shows a coloured scale from

A to G. Appliances that are closer to the‘A’ rating are the most efficient on themarket, and those closer to the ‘G’ are atthe bottom of the range in terms of energyefficiency. Refrigeration appliances arebecoming available rated A+ and A++ forthe most energy efficient appliances.

The label also gives an estimate of how

many kWhs the appliance uses in a year aswell as other useful information. Althoughthe more efficient appliances may costmore to buy, the extra cost will pay foritself through reduced electricity bills.

Domestic appliances

Appliance Average cost to run Best available

Electric cooker £60 £25

Refrigerator £25 £10

Freezer or fridge-freezer £55 £15

Washing machine £15 £10

Dishwasher £40 £25

Television £15 £5

For more information about energylabelling of household appliances, pleasecall our Energy Efficiency Helpline on



0330 100 8620

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If you are planning to buy a new appliance,buy one that is just big enough for yourneeds. If you do not fill your fridge, washingmachine or dishwasher, this could mean you are paying for electricity that you donot really need.

For more information about the costs ofrunning over 50 different electrical andgas appliances, ask us for our booklet

‘A guide to running costs’

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Fridges, freezers andfridge-freezers• Put your fridge or freezer in the coolest

possible place, away from the cooker

or heaters.

• Defrost your fridge or freezer regularly,following the manufacturer’s instructions.

• Keep your freezer at least three-quartersfull. You do not have to fill it with food;for example you can pack it with plasticbags filled with newspaper.

• Cool cooked food before you put it in thefridge or freezer.

• Do not leave doors open for longer than you need.

Laundry• If you can’t fill your washing machine or

tumble dryer, use the economy button orthe half-load button if you have one.

• Use low temperature settingsif possible.

• If you can, always spin your hand washingonce in the washing machine before youtransfer it to the tumble dryer.

There are many ways to save energy and money. Some of the ideas below are expensive,but there are also lots of ideas you can try for little or no cost.

Reducing the amount of energy you use

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Cooking• Use a kettle to boil water. It is quicker

and more efficient than using a pan.

• Only put the amount of water you needinto your kettle, but make sure you useenough water to cover the element.

• Use just enough water to cover foodin a saucepan. Cover the pan with a lidand reduce the heat so it simmers.

• Use a saucepan that is the same size

as the hotplate.

• Keep gas flames under the baseof saucepans.

• Use a toaster for making toast ratherthan a grill on a cooker.

• If you have two ovens, use the smaller

one if possible. When you are cooking,only open the oven door when youneed to.

• When you are cooking small amountsof food, use a microwave oven if youhave one, rather than an electric oven.

• Do not use the cooker to heat

your kitchen.

Lighting• Switch off lights when you are not using

them, but make sure you keep stair areaswell lit for your own safety.

• Clean light bulbs and lampshadesregularly so they give the best light.If you don’t need strong light, uselower wattage bulbs.

• Use low energy light bulbs in the roomsthat you use the most. If you replace anormal 100-watt bulb with a low energy

light bulb, it should pay for itself in 12months (based on six hours per day).They can last up to 12 times longer sothey are ideal for fitting in places thatare difficult to reach.

• Dimmer switches allow you to adjust thelight to the level you require. However,generally you can’t use dimmer switches

with low energy light bulbs.

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Water heatingOn average, 20% of the energy used in yourhome is to heat water.

• Taking a shower is cheaper than having abath. Saving: around £5 to £15 a year.+

• Don’t wash your hands or clean dishes

under a running hot tap. Put the plug inthe sink or use a washing-up bowl.Saving: around £10 to £15 a year.+

• Use a kettle for heating small amounts ofhot water.

• If you use electricity to heat water, makesure you can see the switch and have a

neon light on it, so you don’t forget it isswitched on.

• Make sure that your thermostat is setcorrectly. The heater should switchitself on and off automatically. Therecommended temperature for hot wateris 60˚C.

• Fit lagging on your hot water tank. Use aBritish Standard approved cylinder jacket.It should be at least 80 mm (3.5 inches)thick. Cost: £10. Saving: £10 to £20each year.+

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Room heating• If you have central heating, lowering the

temperature of your home by 1˚C canreduce your heating bill by as much as10%. However, don’t put your healthat risk by setting the temperature toolow. An ideal temperature for your livingroom, dining room and bathroom is 21˚C

and 18˚C for the kitchen and bedrooms.Saving: £15 to £40 each year.+

• Try not to open outside doors andwindows in cold weather unless you haveto (30 minutes a day should provideenough ventilation).

• Don’t put furniture in front of your

radiators or storage heaters as it preventsthe heat being distributed.

• Put reflective foil behind radiators andpanel heaters if they are on outside walls.

• Make sure curtains don’t cover heaters, asthis wastes a lot of heat.

• Fit shelves over your radiators to deflectheat into the room. Cost: £10. Saving:£5 to £10 each year.+

In rooms where you don’t havecentral heating:

• Turn off focal point gas or electric fireswhen the room is not in use. Turn downthe heat when desired room temperatureis reached.

• For rooms that need occasionalheating fit a panel heater with a timerand thermostat.

• Fix the heater under a window to makeup for any draughts. Or use an oil-filledradiator, convector heater, fan heater orgas wall heater. For bathrooms use a fast-acting heater such as a fan heater or an

infrared heater fitted at a high level andpointing downwards.

• Always buy heaters with built-in timersand thermostats if possible.

Only use this type of heating for shortperiods of time.

+ All savings are based on a gas heated, three bedroom semi-detached house. Source: the Energy Saving Trust.

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The heat inside your home finds many ways to escape. Warmth can get out through walls andwindows, up the chimney and through any gaps around doors and window frames.

Heat lost from the home

Insulation

Roof 25%

Walls 35%Windows 10%

Draughts 15%Floor 15%

Draught-proofingDraughts can waste up to 40% of all the

heating in your home, and draught-proofing your doors and windows with foam strip isthe easiest and cheapest way to stop heatescaping. Better quality materials are likelyto last the longest.

Cost: from £45 to £60 (DIY)from £125 to £250(professional installation)

Saving: up to £30 each year+

Loft insulationLoft insulation could save up to 15% on

your heating bills.

Insulation should be 270 mm(10 inches) thick.

Cost: from £170 (DIY)

from £210(professional installation)


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Wall insulationYou could save up to 20% on your heatingbills by insulating your walls.

There are three methods that must be carriedout by a professional insulation installer.

Cavity wall insulation

Cost: from around £300 to £500


Insulate the inside of solid walls

Cost: from around £650 to £1,500


Insulate the outside of solid walls

Cost: from around £1,800 to £2,800


Insulating solid walls is more cost-effective ifwork is being done to walls anyway

For more information ask for our leaflet

‘Insulating Your Home’or see page 26 for information about grants.

IMPORTANT:Keeping the heat in is important, but if youhave a gas fire or any other fuel-burningappliance, always make sure there isenough ventilation so that appliancesburn efficiently.

+ All savings are based on a gas heated, three bedroom semi-detached house. Source: the Energy Saving Trust.

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Carbon monoxide is poisonous.Every year around 30 people die fromcarbon monoxide poisoning caused by gasappliances that have not been properlyinstalled or maintained. When gas does notburn properly, too much carbon monoxideis produced.

You can’t see it. You can’t taste it. Youcan’t smell it. But carbon monoxide can killwithout warning in just a matter of hours.You are particularly vulnerable when youare asleep. The early symptoms of poisoninginclude tiredness, drowsiness, headache andpains in the chest and stomach.

You are at risk from carbon monoxide

poisoning if:

• Your appliance was poorly installed

• Your appliance is not working properly

• Your appliance has not been checked ormaintained regularly

• There is not enough fresh air in the room

• Your chimney or flue gets blocked up

• You allow unqualified people to install ormaintain your appliance

NEVER use a gas appliance if you think it isnot working properly.

Signs to look out for include yellow ororange flames, soot or stains around theappliance and pilot lights which frequentlyblow out.

NEVER cover a gas appliance or block theair vents.

NEVER block or obstruct any fixedventilation grilles or airbricks.

NEVER cover or block outside flues

Carbon monoxide

IMPORTANT:Whenever draught excluders, double-glazing or a conservatory extension is

fitted to a room containing a gasappliance, the appliance should bechecked for safe operation to complywith ventilation requirements.

For more information ring the free Health andSafety Executive (HSE) Gas Safety Advice Line on

Gas installations must only be carried outby Gas Safe Register engineers. Many GasSafe Register members also belong to trade

associations such as HVCA (Heating andVentilating Contractors’ Association) or theInstitute of Plumbing.

This information comes from the Health & Safety Executive.

0800 300 363(free from most landlines)

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“To help keep you safe, we advise you to fit an audible carbon

monoxide alarm that complieswith the relevant British orEuropean safety standards.”

To buy a carbon monoxide alarm,please call npower hometeam on

Picture shown forillustration purposes only.


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There is a range of grants available to make your home more energy-efficient.

Energy efficiency schemesfrom npowernpower offers a range of energy efficiencymeasures for homeowners that will save youmoney and energy, and improve the comfort

of your home. These include loft and cavitywall insulation, replacement boilers andheating controls, energy-efficient appliancesand low energy lighting.

Warm FrontWarm Front is a Government-funded scheme,which provides a grant of up to £2,500.

The scheme focuses on households with thegreatest health risks – older people, familieswith children under 16 and people who aredisabled or have a long term illness, and whoare in receipt of certain benefits and may findit difficult to fund energy efficiency measureswithout help.

Warm Front grants are particularly aimed atowner-occupiers and people who rent theirhomes from private landlords, as this groupcontains the largest number of householdsin difficulty.

Eligibility for the schemes is restricted to:

• householders who have a child under 16 orare pregnant and are in receipt of certainincome-related benefits,

• householders who are receiving certainincome or disability-related benefits, and

• householders who are 60 or over andreceiving income-related benefits orPension Credit.

Warm Front will provide a package ofinsulation and heating measures up to thevalue of £1,500. People over 60 who qualifyfor the Warm Front Plus grant of up to£2,500 may also be offered gas or electric

central heating systems.

Grants

For more information on our current moneysaving offers, please ring our Energy Efficiency

Helpline on

For more information about thescheme call on:

(in Yorkshire, Humber, East Midlands

and Eastern areas) or (elsewhere).




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Home Energy Efficiency Scheme- HEES (Wales)The National Assembly for Wales funds HEESand HEES Plus, which provide a grant of up to£2,700. The scheme has two types of grant:

• HEES is aimed at families in receipt ofWorking Families’ Tax Credit, and families

with children under 16 who receive IncomeSupport, Housing Benefit, Council TaxBenefit or Income-Based Job Seeker’sAllowance.

• HEES Plus is aimed at one-parent familieswith children below 16 years, or peopleover 60 years receiving income-basedbenefits or Pension Credit, plus thosewho are disabled or chronically sickreceiving income related benefits witha disability premium.

HEES provides a package of heating andinsulation measures up to the value of£1,500. In addition, HEES Plus may alsooffer central heating and security measuresup to a value of £2,700.

Warm Deal Scheme - ScotlandWarm Deal is a scheme from the Scottish

Executive run by Eaga Ltd for homes inScotland. It provides a grant of up to £500.

If you qualify for the full grant you canreceive up to £500 of energy efficiency workincluding cavity wall insulation, loft insulationor draught-proofing. As well as one of thesemeasures, you would receive hot and coldtank jackets and pipe insulation, energy advice

and up to four low energy light bulbs.

If you are over 60, own your own homeor have a rental agreement with a privatelandlord, and have no central heating, you may also qualify for the centralheating programme.

For information about HEES call free on

For more information about Warm Dealand to find out if you qualify, call free on



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Energy Saving Trust (EST)The Energy Saving Trust provides informationon any grants you might be eligible for toprovide heating, insulation and appliances for your home to help reduce your fuel bills. Youcan get energy efficiency offers on heating,insulation and appliances.

Energy Service Companies (ESCOs)An Energy Service Company (ESCO) is a‘one-stop shop’ arrangement combiningthe efficient and cost-effective supply andend-use of energy for customers. Housingproviders, local authorities or energy suppliersmay set up ESCOs. You will benefit fromcompetitive energy costs, energy efficiency

advice and information on reducing your fuelbills and discounts on energy-saving measuresand appliances.

Grants from your local councilYou may be able to claim a grant to improve your insulation or heating system from yourlocal council. Grants are normally paid onlyto owner-occupiers, private tenants or

housing association tenants. Grants fromthe local council will take your family incomeinto account and there is a heavy demandfor them.

House renovation grants are available tohelp with major repair work and HomeRepair Assistance grants can be used forsmall-scale work. Both grants can be usedto improve insulation.

If you have a disability you may be able toclaim a Disabled Facilities Grant to help you

live a more independent life in your home, forexample to improve or install central heating.It can be paid to owner-occupiers and tenants(including Local Authority tenants). For moreinformation contact the Grants sectionof the Housing or Environmental HealthDepartment of your local council.

Call the Energy Saving Trust’s Hotline on

or visit the website at

www.energysavingtrust.org.uk


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We have a wide range of leaflets that wecan send to you. If English is not your firstlanguage, we have a range of energyefficiency information in other languages.

The following organisations can also give you information and advice:

Energy Saving Trust

Energy Efficiency Advice CentresTelephone: 0800 512012 (free)Website: www.est.org.uk

Draught Proofing AdvisoryAssociation Ltd

External Wall Insulation

AssociationNational Association of Loft

Insulation Contractors

National Cavity Insulation Association Ltd

You can contact all of these organisations at:

PO Box 12, Haslemere,Surrey GU27 3AH

Telephone: 01428 654011Website: www.aecportico.co.uk

NICEIC (National Inspection Council forElectricalInstallation Contracting)

Telephone: 0870 013 0382Website: www.niceic.org.uk

Warwick HouseHoughton Hall ParkHoughton RegisDunstable, Bedfordshire LU5 5ZX

NEA (National Energy Action)

NEA is a national charity concerned with theenergy needs of low-income households. Itprovides educational and training materialrelating to energy efficiency.

NEASt Andrew’s House

90-92 Pilgrim StreetNewcastle-upon-TyneNE1 6SGTelephone: 0191 261 5677Website: www.nea.org.uk

Glass and Glazing Federation

44-48 Borough High StreetLondon SE1 1XB

Telephone: 0870 042 4255Website: www.ggf.org.uk

Gas Safe RegisterTelephone: 0800 408 5500 (Free)Website: www.gassaferegister.co.uk

Further information and advice

To request any of our leaflets, pleasecall our Energy Efficiency Helpline on


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At npower we want to ensure that all ourcustomers are treated fairly and receive aservice that meets their needs. If you are annpower customer and have sight or hearingdifficulties, or are disabled, chronically sick orof pensionable age you can apply to join ourWarm Response Service (WRS).

Joining the WRS enables us to provide youwith a range of helpful services to makelife easier, and helps you to notify us of anycircumstances that we need to allow for whenproviding you with gas and/or electricity. If you know anyone else who might benefit, besure to tell them about it too.

Among the services we offer are:

• Braille bills, talking bills, large print or thirdparty bills

• Password scheme to identify genuinecallers at the door

• Leaflets in large print, in Braille or CD

• Textphone service for the hard of hearing

For households where everyone qualifies forthe Warm Response Service, we also offer arange of adapters, free gas safety checks forgas customers and quarterly meter readingsfor those who can’t read their own meter.

Warm Response Service

For more information about the WarmResponse Service, or for a copy of our booklet

‘Warm Response Service,’

please call the Warm Response Serviceteam on

0808 172 6999(free from most landlines) or


0330 100 8669

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If you need to get in touch with us, you can call us on

Phone calls: We may monitor and/or record calls for security, quality or training purposes. Calling us on an 0800 or 0808 number is normally free when you call froma landline but charges may vary if you use a mobile Calling us on a 0330 number will cost you no more than 01 or 02 numbers from landlines or mobiles If you get

Customer Service

0800 073 3000

We’re here to help you 8.00am - 8.00pm Monday

to Friday, 8.00am - 6.00pm Saturday

(free from most landlines) or


0330 100 3000

You can visit our website npower.com and send us an email.

And if you have a textphone our number is

You can write to us atCustomer Servicenpower

PO Box 93PeterleeSR8 2XX

0800 413 016

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