Energy

Understanding Your Energy

Understanding your energy is very important and the first step to this is to understand how much energy you use. The National Association of Student Money Advisers (NASMA) have put together a simple How to Read a MeterLink opens in a new window document which demonstrates how to read both a gas and electricity meter.

Once you have an understanding of how much energy you use, it can be useful to be aware of your appliance's running costs so that you can be more mindful about using them. For a table of average costs per hour, as well as an explanation of how to calculate the costs of your appliances, check out the Save the Student article How Much Does Energy Cost Per HourLink opens in a new window.

Following this, to better understand your energy bills and charges, check out the following article from Money Saving Expert, Energy Bills ExplainedLink opens in a new window. This article includes example bills from common providers and breaks down the associated jargon into straightforward language. Uswitch has a similar article with example bills from common providers, uSwitch - Energy Bills: Understanding Your Electricity BillsLink opens in a new window.

If you want to find out more about Energy direct debits and check that you are paying the right amount, check out Money Saving Expert's Energy Direct Debit HelpLink opens in a new window.

How To Save Money On Your Energy

You may wonder whether you are getting the best deal with your supplier. If you are considering switching energy suppliers you can use websites such as Money Supermarket - Energy ComparisonLink opens in a new window to compare plans and rates.

There are lots of small changes you can make to try to reduce your energy consumption (and therefore costs too!). NASMA have created infographics with energy-cutting tips and estimates of how much you could save per year:

NASMA Electricity Energy Saving tips from National Student Money Week 2023. Content reads: Small changes can make savings. According to these figures taken from the Energy Saving Trust, you can save up to £120 with these hacks. 1) Turning lights off - £20 per year 2) Not leaving things on standby - £40 per year. 3) Do not tumbledry - £60 per year.

NASMA Heat Energy Saving tips from National Student Money Week 2023. Content reads: Small changes can make savings. According to these figures taken from Energy Saving Trust, you can save up to £110 with these hacks! 1) Turning your thermostat down by 1 degree - £65 per year. 2) Using draft proofing hacks such as window film or draft excluders - £45 per year.

NASMA Water Saving tips from National Student Money Week 2023. Content reads: Small changes can make savings. According to these figures taken from the Energy Saving Trust, you can save up to £130 with these hacks! 1)Wash at lower temp/wash only full loads - £28/£10 per year. 2) Boil less water - £8 per year. 3)Wash only full loans (dishwasher) - £14 per year. 4)4 minute shower limit - £70 per year.

For even more tips you may want to check out the following articles:

If you have a smart meter, you may even be able to get paid or earn credit towards your bills by reducing your energy consumption during certain hours. For more information, check out this section of a Save the Student article, Getting Paid to Reduce Your Energy UsageLink opens in a new window.

Support With Your Energy Costs

You may have heard about or have already received the £400 Energy Bill RebateLink opens in a new window that was given to households at the end of 2022 until early 2023. Please note that this scheme ended in March 2023 - so make sure you don't fall for a scammer who may claim this is ongoing and ask you for your banking information.

If you are struggling to pay your energy bills and have become in debt due to this, you could consider contacting your energy supplier for support. Some energy suppliers may be able to provide financial help or even help you set up a realistic payment schedule. Suppliers will offer different forms of assistance and will likely have different criteria you will need to meet to be eligible, check out the following article section from Save the Student, Financial Support From Energy SuppliersLink opens in a new window for more information on the support available from specific suppliers. If your supplier isn't listed, check out their web pages and get in touch with them to find out what support they can offer you in your situation.

If you are struggling to meet your essential living costs, including paying your energy bills, you may be eligible to apply to the University's Hardship FundLink opens in a new window.