Heated Debate

I VIVIDLY remember the first time I had to make the decision to leave my heating turned off. I was a poor struggling student – not long left home and rapidly finding out that the “freedom” of independent adult life was not all it was cracked up to be.

Despite being able to see my breath in the cold air that filled my flat, I realised I no longer had an option about how often or how thoroughly I heated my home. Fairly naïve to the world of fuel costs and budgets, I was experiencing my first winter in a flat where the wind whistled through the window frames. The mammoth energy bill which had thumped onto my doormat the day before was a wake-up call I did not forget, and still makes me hesitate over the heating button to this day when my flat is cold.

I’m not the only one who hesitates. This chilly balancing act between need and cost is played out across Scotland day after day, year on year because people simply cannot afford to heat their home to an acceptable level. You learn to put on extra socks and jumpers, fill up a hot water bottle, grab a blanket and have a hot drink rather than risk the unknown expense of a blast of heat. Yet there are other costs to going without warmth.

Anyone who has lived in a cold or damp house can attest to the level of general discomfort: the moist feel of a duvet in the morning; clothes that never quite feel dry and the distinct odour which permeates furniture and clothes.

Poorly heated houses can also lead to health problems for the people living in them. Respiratory illness, heart problems, hypothermia, arthritis, rheumatism and mental health problems can manifest as a direct result of living in a cold house.

Houses with condensation, another consequence of insufficient heating, cause their own problems including asthma and bronchitis.

Households which cannot to afford to keep adequately warm without spending at least 10 per cent of their income are said to be living in fuel poverty. This definition could be applied to one-third of Scottish households in 2009, the most recent year for which figures are available.

This shocking number is likely to be higher again in 2011 since the enormous hike in energy prices and the disproportionate impact this will have had on those on the lowest incomes. Fuel poverty is known to be a bigger issue in Scotland than the UK generally, where one in five households are fuel-poor.

The good news is that the Scottish CAB service and other consumer organisations, energy suppliers and government agencies are now working together for “Big Energy Week”.

This is a campaign created to let people know about all the free help and support that is available for those struggling with energy bills.

It runs until today, and it is all about spreading the message that there are ways to reduce your bills, insulate your house and maximise your income – either on your own, or with free advice from all the organisations involved.

Big Energy Week will tell you that there are three simple steps you can take to make this winter warmer than the last and save some money along the way.

1) Check your tariff, and see if there is a cheaper way to pay your bills, perhaps by direct debit or by buying your gas and electricity from the same company, entitling you to their “duel fuel” discount.

2) Switch your supplier. You may be able to save up to £200 per year by switching to another energy company, especially if you’ve never switched before.

3) Insulate your roof and walls to save energy and money. A quarter of your home’s heat is lost just through the roof, so adding insulation where possible can save you more than £100 per year. You might be entitled to a grant for insulation; some people are even eligible for completely free insulation.

Check the website www.bigenergyweek.org.uk for help and advice on all the above and more information on the events during Big Energy Week.

• Lyndsay Russell is the co-ordinator of Big Energy Week in Scotland and social policy co-ordinator for Citizens Advice Scotland.