A senior Swindon councillor and Citizens Advice Swindon have joined forces to highlight help for people struggling with bills.
From Tuesday, 1 April Gas and electricity bills are set to increase after the independent regulator, Ofgem, announced that the energy price cap will rise by 6.4 per cent from the start of the new financial year.
That means that a household using an average amount of gas and electricity will see their annual bill rise by £111 a year, or £9.25 a month, taking the total bill to £1,849 a year.
Thames Water have announced that water bills will increase in the coming months, with an average annual bill rising by £123.
Swindon Borough Council Cabinet Member for Communities and Joint Working, Cllr Jim Grant, met with volunteer, Andrew and CEO of Citizens Advice Swindon, Claire Newport, to highlight the support they provide to local residents.
Cllr Grant said: “As residents are recovering from the cost of turning their heating on this winter and seeing increases to their bills, we expect people to continue to need vital financial support.
“My plea to affected residents is simple: make sure you access the support available if you need it.
“We fund organisations like Citizens Advice Swindon to help support local residents who may struggle to pay for necessities.
“They can help residents get access to financial support and other streams of income, while other organisations also have schemes to help those struggling to pay their bills. It is important to remember that energy suppliers have a responsibility to work with you to agree repayment plans.
“In addition to the work of Citizen Advice, the Warm & Safe Wiltshire Service is also available on 0800 038 5722 to provide free and impartial energy-saving advice to help residents manage their energy costs and keep their homes warm. It has a track record of helping many thousands to save money on their energy bills.
“The council is here to help residents find the support they need, and so local people can also visit the cost of living page on our website where we’ve highlighted help and support available.”
Citizens Advice Swindon are part-funded by the council and in 2024 helped more than 10,000 people with more than 50,000 problems.
The council’s funding helped them to manage a 15 per cent increase from 2023 in the number of people locally seeking support to pay energy and water bills.
The charity also helped local people £6.5 million in income grants for local people, benefits and £9.7 million worth of personal debt management for Swindon residents.
Find out more using the links in the comments, call them on 08082787813 or pop in during a drop-in session at Sanford House (SN1 1HE).
Thames Water also provide financial support to those in need, which can be accessed by completing an online income and expenditure form. They will then be in touch within ten working days with recommendations on any financial support they may be eligible for.
This can include:
- Thames Water’s WaterHelp scheme, for those whose water bill is more than five per cent of their net income
- Residents on a water meter but finding it hard to save water because they have a large family or water-dependent medical condition, may also be able to cap the amount of water charged for through the Thames Water WaterSure scheme
Some options of support for energy include:
- Residents who may be affected by the rise in energy costs, residents are encouraged to contact their energy supplier as soon as they can. Suppliers must work to agree on a payment plan under Ofgem rules. This includes reviewing a plan that has been agreed before.
- The Great British Insulation Scheme, funded by energy companies, offers free or cheaper insulation to reduce home energy bills.
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