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Thousands of households handed free energy saving gadgets that can slash energy bills by £200 a year
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THOUSANDS of households are being handed energy saving gadgets to help slash their energy bills by up to £200.
Hard-up residents in one council area in England are being gifted the "Warm Home Packs" this winter.
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The packs come with energy-saving devices in them such as LED light bulbs, radiator foil and draught-excluding tape.
Wandsworth Council says the packs could help residents save up to £200 on their energy bills.
The local authority has been distributing the packs since last week but you can still pick yours up if you haven't got one yet.
The London council recently wrote letters to eligible residents and invited them to pick up their packs at the town hall.
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Those who have received a letter but haven't collected their packs yet can pick them up from four locations.
These are: Wandsworth Town Hall Reception, Battersea Library, Tooting Library and Roehampton Library.
You should qualify for one of the packs if your household has a combined annual income of up to £40,000 and an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating between D and G.
An EPC is a report which reveals how energy efficient your property is and can be booked via the Government's website.
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You can also find out what the EPC of your home via gov.uk.
If you haven't received a letter from Wandsworth Council and think you are eligible for a Warm Home Pack, you should speak to staff at one of the four collection hubs mentioned above.
Cllr Judi Gasser, cabinet member for environment, said: "We know that warm homes and sustainability come hand in hand.
"These Warm Home Packs play the vital double role of keeping more money in our residents’ pockets this winter, as well as reducing the carbon footprint of individual homes by capturing energy that would otherwise be lost."
Help you can get with energy bills if you don't live in Wandsworth
Residents who live outside Wandsworth might be able to get help with their energy bills through a number of avenues.
Household Support Fund
You may qualify for energy vouchers, or free money which can be put towards energy bills via the Household Support Fund.
The giant £421million pot of cash has been shared between councils in England who are in the process of allocating their portion.
Each local authority sets its own eligibility criteria which means what you are entitled to will depend on where you live.
However, most councils are making direct bank transfers or handing out energy or supermarket vouchers to those who are on a low income, benefits or vulnerable.
The best thing to do if you think you might be eligible for help is contact your local council.
You can find what council area you fall under by using the Government's "find your local council" tool via gov.uk.
Energy Company Obligation
You might be able to get help paying for insulation or a new more energy-efficient boiler, which in turn will drive down your energy bills, through the Energy Company Obligation.
You might even be able to get them for free depending on your circumstances.
It's worth noting though that you are only eligible for ECO if you are on benefits, classed as vulnerable or have a home with a low EPC.
Bear in mind, help is offered on a case-by-case basis and you may have to fund part of the works done to your home.
Energy company grant schemes
A number of energy companies hand out grants to customers who are struggling to keep up with their energy bills.
For example, British Gas recently opened its Energy Support Fund offering cash-strapped families up to £2,000 in free money.
Octopus Energy also offers direct cash grants to customers struggling to cover the cost of their bills via its Octo Assist fund.
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The firm also carries out home visits to discuss how households can reduce their usage and gives out free electric blankets.
You can read more on what some of the other firms do in our piece here.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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