Dumfries & Galloway Council have shared the following with us, and asked us to publicise it as widely as possible…

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Are you struggling with your energy bills or finding your home hard to heat?

With energy bills and the cost of living rising, many households are really worried about their increasing costs. Home Energy Scotland is the free and impartial energy advice service funded by the Scottish Government, they help people in Scotland create warmer homes, reduce their energy bills, and lower their carbon footprint.

They’ve got lots of information on ways to save. They can check your eligibility for special discounts from energy suppliers, and help you get a benefits and tax credit check so you’re not missing out on additional income.

They can also check your eligibility for financial support including the Warmer Homes Scotland programme. Over 29,000 households in Scotland have each received help worth around £5,000 to install heating, insulation and more through Warmer Homes Scotland. You could get help too.

If you don’t meet the criteria for Warmer Homes Scotland you might be eligible for assistance through the interest-free Home Energy Scotland loan or an area-based energy efficiency scheme.

Get in touch today by calling Home Energy Scotland free on 0808 808 2282 or visit homeenergyscotland.org now to find out more.

Would you like to win £750 with Home Energy Scotland?

How good is your energy saving knowledge? Take Home Energy Scotland’s quick quiz to find out. You’ll pick up tips to help you save energy and money at home – and if you leave your details, you’ll be in with the chance of winning.

Five first-prize winners across Scotland will win £750 each, and five runners-up will receive £500 each. So boost your energy saving knowledge and take the quiz now at homeenergyscotland/win

Home Energy Scotland – here to help you improve your home energy usage

If you hadn’t given much thought to how much your energy was costing you in previous years, 2022 has provided a huge wake up call. It’s quite likely that the shock of this year’s huge price rises will have made you think long and hard about your home energy use.

However, support is available for householders through Home Energy Scotland, funded by the Scottish Government and delivered by Energy Saving Trust.

Home Energy Scotland’s team of trained advisors and specialists are working extremely hard to meet the increased demand for their clear, impartial advice to help reduce the impact of these cost increases and help create warmer homes.

Most people who contact Home Energy Scotland are keen to make sure they’re not overpaying on their energy bills, and they’ve got lots of information on ways to help you save. Their trained advisors can check your eligibility for special discounts from energy suppliers. They can also help you get a benefits and tax credit check so you’re not missing out on additional income.

In some cases, they can also help you access funding to improve your home’s energy efficiency so you can stay warm without breaking the bank. Call 0808 808 2282 or fill in the contact form on their website and they’ll be in touch.

In the meantime, here are four ways to help you reduce your energy bills:

  1. Energy Saving Trust’s quick tips show how much money you can save by implementing simple measures such as draught-proofing and insulating your hot water cylinder or adopting new behaviours like switching off standby mode and not overfilling the kettle. All the savings add up to hundreds of pounds yearly.
  2. Make sure your energy supplier billing is accurate. During the ongoing energy price crisis, you might be better off staying with your current supplier as you might not save any money by switching to another provider. In the meantime, ensure you supply regular meter readings to avoid estimated bills. Take a look at this article on the Home Energy Scotland website that details the importance of taking charge of your meter.
  3. Give your home a makeover. Whether you’re moving home or staying put, upgrading your heating and improving insulation can all help lower your energy bills. Contact Home Energy Scotland free on 0808 808 2282 to get advice on home improvements plus available financial assistance.
  4. Offset your bills with green energy. Installing a renewable heating system like a heat pump could mean you pay less for heating your home depending on what type of system you have right now. Heat pumps can also reduce your home’s carbon emissions while providing central heating and hot water.

Research commissioned by Energy Saving Trust and Home Energy Scotland in 2021 showed more than half of those asked (51%) hadn’t heard of heat pumps. Some 40% of people thought heat pumps were too expensive to install, although one in five (20%) say they are likely to install a heat pump within the next five years.

If you are thinking about renewables, Home Energy Scotland’s team of specialist advisors can discuss your property and recommend the very best options for generating your own energy. They will create a written report just for you with all the relevant information you need. Plus, the good news is, it’s all completely free and impartial.

Whatever happens with energy costs in the months ahead Home Energy Scotland is here to help you. Visit them online or call their South West advice centre free on 0808 808 2282.

Support for private landlords from Home Energy Scotland

There’s plenty of help available from Home Energy Scotland for registered private landlords looking to improve the energy efficiency of their rental properties.

Making your rented properties more energy efficient could add value, make your properties more attractive to new tenants, lead to lower turnover of tenancies, and reduce potential problems such as damp.

Improving energy efficiency should also increase the rating on your property’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), helping you meet minimum energy efficiency standards. 

In addition to this, improving energy efficiency should lower energy bills for your tenants, making them warmer at home and reducing their risk of falling into fuel poverty.

Advice and property assessments

Whether you’re looking to discuss your EPC, talk through the various funding options or have your property assessed in depth, Home Energy Scotland can help. Their free and impartial advice service is funded by the Scottish Government, and their South West advice centre covers Dumfries & Galloway.

If a property visit is appropriate, one of their specialist advisors will carry out an assessment and provide you with a tailored report outlining:

  • The current energy demands of your property
  • Recommended improvements
  • The approximate cost of making these improvements
  • Potential fuel bill and carbon savings
  • Any potential income you could make from installing a renewables system
  • The estimated improvement in the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) score

Their specialist will talk you through the report, helping you decide what’s right for you and your property. They can also tell you about the financial support that could be available.

To find out more just call Home Energy Scotland free on 0808 808 2282 or complete the contact form on their website.

Welcome

St John the Evangelist, Dumfries, is a parish of the Scottish Episcopal Church also serving Methodist parishioners locally.

Donations

You can donate to St John’s by credit or debit card by following these links.

St John’s Bellringers on Border Life video

Notices

Contemporary Service

Contemporary Service

The Contemporary Service is at 6pm, on the second and fourth Sundays of the month, followed by refreshments in the hall.

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