Member Article

Collective energy scheme saves North Tyneside £221 per household

A scheme designed to reduce households’ soaring energy costs has been hailed a great success in North Tyneside.

Supported by North Tyneside Council, residents living in the borough have saved hundreds of pounds off their gas and electricity bills.

Their savings come after they joined in with a ‘collective energy scheme’, along with 10,000 other households across the country, with average savings of £221 per household.

Such schemes bring customers together to negotiate a better deal for their energy bills. In North Tyneside, it was done on residents’ behalf by a national switching scheme company, called iChoosr, earlier in the month.

After the council signposted people to the initiative, iChoosr, then presented all registered households to energy providers who take part in a reverse auction to provide the best tariffs for the households’ custom.

The scheme is just one way in which the council is helping households reduce their fuel bills. Working on behalf of the local authority, Warm Zone CIC is continuing to offer full and partial grants to residents for the installation of loft and cavity wall insulation and help towards central heating improvements.

Through a previous contract held with the council, Warm Zone has already helped over 16,000 homes across the borough with their energy efficiency, amounting to £1.5 million saved on residents’ fuel bills.

Cabinet member for Housing and the Environment, Cllr John Stirling, said: “I am absolutely delighted with these results, which are the highest the switching company has ever experienced.

“The savings we’ve been able to make for residents have far exceeded our expectations, which is brilliant news.

“Soaring energy costs are having an effect in the borough, with thousands of people living in fuel poverty, but savings like this will certainly help.

“As a council, we are committed to helping residents out of fuel poverty, and I am thrilled with the great progress we are making through our different initiatives.”

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