Keith Davies AM encourages local residents to commit to save energy and money this big energy saving week

Llanelli AM Keith Davies is supporting Big Energy Saving Week (27 – 31 January) by encouraging householders Llanelli to CHECK—SWITCH—INSULATE and adopt energy saving behaviours to cut their fuel bills.

As people in Wales face ever increasing energy bills, Citizens Advice, Energy Saving Trust, Government, energy suppliers, Acre, Age UK and other voluntary and charitable organisations have joined together for this years’ Big Energy Saving Week, to help householders save energy and money.

CHECK: Contact your energy supplier to check you are on the best tariff and payment method for your circumstances, or if they can offer you any discounts to cut your bills.

SWITCH: Visit an accredited switching website to see if you could get your energy cheaper elsewhere. Shopping around for your energy supplier could save you as much as £200 if you have never switched before. Why not try Cyd Cymru, Wales’ collective energy buying scheme? Visit www.cydcymru-energy.com to find out more.

INSULATE: Keep in the heat by insulating the cavity walls and the loft of your home – you could save up to £320 per year. Most suppliers are giving away free or discounted insulation and other energy efficiency measures so ask if you’re eligible.

If you’re worried about how much money you’re spending to heat and light your home, or just want to spend less, there are some simple steps you can take to make your home more energy efficient, the average home in Wales could save up to £250 a year by being more energy efficient.

Top energy saving behaviours householders can easily incorporate into their everyday lives include washing clothes at 30 degrees, taking a five minute shower, checking car tyre pressures regularly, turning down room thermostats by one degree and turning appliances off standby.

Llanelli AM Keith Davies, said:

“In these economic times, the cash savings that go hand in hand with cutting energy use in households shows that there’s never been a more prudent time to commit to saving energy.

“I’d urge people across Llanelli to CHECK—SWITCH—INSULATE this Big Energy Saving Week in a bid to save energy and money.”

Duncan McCombie, Director of the Energy Saving Trust in Wales, says, ‘Just a few small changes to day-to-day life can have a profound impact on the amount of energy being consumed and the carbon being produced as a nation.

Energy saving works best when it doesn’t mean huge lifestyle changes. We are all suffering from increasingly hectic lifestyles. For example, the average family in Wales could save between £50 and £90 a year just by remembering to turn things off standby.”

For more information on Big Energy Saving Week visit-www.bigenergysavingweek.org.uk or for more energy saving tips and advice visit the Energy Saving Trust’s website, www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Wales.