Make a New Year’s resolution to save money

Anyone making a new year’s resolution to save money is being encouraged by Carmarthenshire County Council to start at home, and consider signing up to a collective energy switch.

Working on the concept of ‘people power’, the more people who sign up to the Cyd Cymru collective switching scheme, the better deal they’ll be able to strike with national energy providers to drive down their electricity bills.

Registrations for the spring 2015 switch open on January 2, and all people need to do is register at www.cydcymru-energy.com or call 0800 093 5902.

Signing up is easy, with a few simple questions about current household energy costs that can be found on a recent bill.

The council’s Deputy Leader and Anti-Poverty Champion, Cllr Pam Palmer, is urging people to give it some thought.

“There is absolutely nothing to lose, but potentially a lot to gain,” she said.

“This is essentially a ‘bulk-buy’ where people group together with others in order to secure a better deal.

“At a time when energy bills are going up, it’s worth thinking about driving a better bargain with your energy supplier, and by doing it together there will be power in numbers.”

The scheme is being promoted by the council’s housing department, who work with tenants and private homeowners to help drive down the cost of energy bills by providing advice, helping people to apply for home improvement grants, and securing funding for energy efficiency schemes.

People who have signed up for the switch will be advised of the best offer in the spring, and can then decide whether or not they want to change supplier. There is no obligation to make the switch, and people can remain with their existing supplier if they prefer.

Collective energy switching has been trialled elsewhere in the UK, with participants saving between £60 and £250 per household annually.