Government launches a new £18 million campaign as the cost of energy continues to rise.
Home energy meter.
Amidst the current cost-of-living crisis and significant rise in household energy bills, the government has launched an £18 million campaign to help the public cut bills and reduce energy waste this winter.
The multimillion-pound ‘It All Adds Up’ campaign comes after months of pressure from environmentalists and campaigners. In November, the climate change committee chair Lord Deben wrote an open letter to the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, stating that reducing energy demand was the “biggest gap” in government policy.
Deben also urged the government that energy efficiency should be a “core part” of the government’s exit strategy from expensive “bill subsidies”. He suggested funding was needed to improve energy advice services and to provide better information on simple energy-saving measures.
Other European leaders have funded similar public campaigns this year due to soaring energy costs.
The campaign is being launched by the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy after the UK government’s commitment in November to offer: “Simple, low or no-cost actions” that would help to bring households “big savings”. The campaign is a small part of a long-term plan to reduce building and industrial energy consumption in the UK by 15% by 2030, compared to levels reported in 2021.
In a promotional video, Business Secretary Grant Shapp can be seen battling an Elf on the shelf whilst showing the recommended tips.
He later commented, “No one is immune to rising energy bills this winter.
“So, it is in everyone’s interest to use every trick in the book to use less energy while keeping homes warm and safe.”
The campaign spotlights three critical tips for reducing your household’s energy waste and cutting bills:
Reducing boiler flow temperature.
Unplugging unused appliances
Draught proofing
Launched Saturday, 17th December, the campaign urges families to take “straightforward measures” to combat the soaring energy prices. Recommendations include turning off out-of-use appliances at the wall and reducing the boiler flow temperature from 75C (167F) to 60C (140F), which the government report could reduce bills by a combined cost of £170 a year.
Campaign critics, including Lib Dem energy spokeswoman Wera Hobhouse, speculate the campaign isn’t enough. She said, “ministers failed to insulate millions of homes.
“Advice and tips are all very well, but we need urgent investment to insulate people’s homes and cut energy bills long-term.
“That is the only way we will tackle the climate emergency, cut emissions, and cut people’s bills.”
A government scheme dubbed the ECO+ energy efficiency scheme was confirmed in November and is set to run for three years, from April 2023 to March 2026. The scheme is set to cost the government £1 billion, only a third of the cost estimated by industry chiefs to create significant and lasting improvements.
The scheme will fund households with the least energy-efficient homes in lower council tax bands and those on the lowest income to insulate their homes and bring down energy bills. However, Labour has criticised the ECO+ scheme, saying the plan will only “help a tiny fraction” of those struggling with costs.
The current ‘It All Adds Up Campaign’ was initially opposed by former prime minister Liz Truss. During her time in office, she was determined that her government would not take on the role of a “nanny state”.
However, in recognition of the worsening crisis, Rishi Sunak, Truss’s successor, has demanded that more be done to help struggling Britons.
Here are some of the tips and saving claims you may soon see splashed across billboards and posters alongside features on Radio and TV commercials at the cost of £18 million:
Installation of solar panels and double glazing may save you £455 a year.
Reduction in boiler flow temperature could save you £100 a year.
Installation of roof and loft insulation may save you £355 a year.
Turning down radiators, switching off power at the socket, using the tumble drier less and insulating your hot water cylinder could save you a combined total of £70 a year.
Installation of underfloor heating may save you £110 a year.