Our Rural Energy Advisers are here to offer advice and guidance if you are struggling to pay your energy bills.

Please get in touch with us on 07957 779 623 (Annette) or 07494 572 153 (Diana).

Download, print, display and share our Rural Coffee Caravan Warm Homes postcard to reassure someone you know that there is support available, and help them get in touch.

Surviving Winter Appeal 2020 – 19th October

Suffolk Community Foundation has launched this year’s Rebuilding Local Lives Surviving Winter Appeal.

Last year’s Surviving Winter Appeal raised enough money to heat over 1,000 homes and connected hundreds of vulnerable people to other services to help tackle isolation, other physical and mental health issues caused by poor living conditions, debt and a general lack of access to services that could improve their lives. This year, the ‘Foundation are expecting more people than ever to need support, and so are merging Surviving Winter with their central Rebuilding Local Lives initiative.

Scam Green Grant Calls – 8th July

Within hours of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, announcing the Green Grant available for homeowners, there were reports of scam telephone calls from bogus companies advising that the recipient is eligible for the grant.
If you receive such a call, HANG UP. Do not give the caller any personal details.
The scheme is not due to start until September, and so any calls related to the Government announcement will be be a scam. The rollout of the scheme will be run locally and details of how to apply will be provided.
Please report all scams to Suffolk Trading Standards via 0808 223 1133.

Government agrees measures with energy industry to support vulnerable people through COVID-19 – 19th March

Important News for people with Pre-Payment Meters who are concerned they may not be able to add credit during the coronavirus pandemic can be found on the GOV.UK website: (link to the full article here)

“New emergency measures with the energy industry have been agreed by the government to protect the domestic energy supply of those most in need during the disruption caused by COVID-19. Customers with pre-payment meters who may not be able to add credit can speak to their supplier about options to keep them supplied. This will benefit over 4 million customers.

This could include nominating a third party for credit top ups, having a discretionary fund added to their credit, or being sent a pre-loaded top up card so that their supply is not interrupted. More broadly, any energy customer in financial distress will also be supported by their supplier, which could include debt repayments and bill payments being reassessed, reduced or paused where necessary, while disconnection of credit meters will be completely suspended….

…Customers that are unable to top up their pre-payment meter are advised to contact their supplier immediately to discuss how they can be kept on supply. Ofgem recommends consumers leave the meter box unlocked if they need someone else to top up the meter. Smart meter customers should be able to top-up remotely, such as by phone, mobile application or online.”

This could mean that larger volumes of customers than usual will be trying to get through on the phone, so please be prepared for a larger than usual phone ‘queue.’

Ofgem‘s Coronavirus (COVID-19) and your energy supply page also has advice on managing your energy supply during the outbreak, including what to do

• if you have an energy problem (e.g. power cut, gas leak or energy meter problem)
• if a supplier or network company needs to access your property and you are self-isolating
• if you are struggling to pay your bills
• regarding approaching your supplier about pre-payment concerns.

This could mean that larger volumes of customers than usual will be trying to get through on the phone, so please be prepared for a larger than usual phone ‘queue.’

Copyright 2019 The Rural CoffeeCaravan | Registered charity number: 1187423