A warmer and cheaper winter for Peter

Published by Richard Lord for Wakefield & District Housing in Housing and also in Bill Payments, Communities, Environment, Health

Since the recent freezing weather has forced many people to run their heating systems all day - and with energy prices set to rise this Christmas - a disabled Wakefield man says he received ‘invaluable’ help from his social landlords after they managed to reduce his monthly energy bills.

Peter Dolan, from Hendal Lane in Kettlethorpe, Wakefield, switched his gas supply from British Gas to npower and registered for a special tariff after he was informed of his eligibility by Wakefield and District Housing (WDH).

Mr Dolan, who claims Disability Living Allowance after he had both legs amputated nine years ago due to diabetes, said the completion of modernisation works to his property and the transfer to npower’s ‘spreading warmth’ tariff couldn’t have come at a better time.

“I was talking about my new energy efficient boiler when Pervez Khaliq from WDH said he thought I’d qualify for a special heating tariff,” says Peter, 53. “He put a call into npower there and then, and before he left I was on the reduced tariff.

“I get £100 for switching, which is to help pay for my quarterly bill at Christmas, and my bills will be lower now anyway.

“The help WDH has given me is invaluable. I didn’t have a clue that such a tariff existed – I would have just continued paying my current rate none the wiser had it not been for them.

“It’s been very cold recently and so this intervention has been vital. At the end of the day it’s extra money in my pocket, which we all need at this time of year in the run-up to Christmas.”

The spreading warmth tariff offers average annual savings of over 20% against standard prices, according to npower.

Pervez said: “We’ve been modernising homes in the area and as part of the process we visit tenants to check they are happy with the work. While I was at Mr Dolan’s home we spoke about how his new boiler and central heating system should keep his property warmer at a lower cost anyway.

“But due to his disability I felt it was worth checking whether he was eligible for the spreading warmth tariff – and he was. I made a call there and then and set everything up. When I left, Mr Dolan was on the tariff. He was over the moon.”

Checking for cheaper energy suppliers and even contracts with phones is something that WDH encourages everyone to do, says Pervez.

“You won’t know unless you look into it. It’s good practice to check the various money advice and comparison websites and call your energy suppliers because you never know what you might be entitled to.”

You can check whether you are eligible for the spreading warmth tariff by visiting npower’s website at www.npower.com or by calling them free on 0800 975 1373.