Community Switch

 Hyndburn households could save up to £370 a year on their energy bills thanks to a pioneering partnership between energy switching business Community Switch and Hyndburn Borough Council. Council data shows that about 5,120 or 15 per cent of the 34,000 households in Hyndburn are in fuel poverty.

The private-public sector partnership forms a key part of the local authority’s plans to reduce the fuel costs of residents and thereby tackle fuel poverty by offering all of its households the chance to switch energy supplier. The scheme will address the issue of households  without internet access by using an innovative telephone-based approach.

All householders across the borough - owner occupiers, private rented tenants and social rented housing tenants  – will be able to receive help to switch energy supplier, with a particular focus on excluded and vulnerable households suffering from fuel poverty - defined as spending more than 10 per cent of household income on fuel.

The campaign will start on 30 January and is intended to provide support over the longer-term as well as deliver an immediate switching campaign. The initiative will be promoted through press and radio, leaflets, advertising in Council public offices, advertising on refuse vehicles and by Community Switch staff attending public events.

Community Switch has an established track record in Hyndburn after helping 26 per cent of the borough’s social housing residents with pre-payment meters to switch to a better deal.

Patrick Berry, managing director of Community Switch, said the initiative is tied in with the Government’s drive to make it easier for people to switch energy supplier for a less expensive deal and complements the Council’s Warm Homes Hyndburn initiative to provide funding for insulation improvements in the most deprived neighbourhoods in the Borough.

He said: “We were particularly keen to engage residents in energy switching especially those most vulnerable to fuel poverty. While the Council has participated in collective switching campaigns it has found that these, while raising interest, do not penetrate the most vulnerable communities.

“There is considerable inertia to engagement with energy markets and suppliers where processes are seen as complex and access to switching services largely online. The Council is keen to explore new ways in which it can promote and support energy switching as a regular event across the borough.

“We have therefore teamed up with the Council to proactively target the most deprived residents in local communities while providing switching services to the whole community.”

Councillor Clare Pritchard, Deputy Leader of Hyndburn Council said a central plank of its plan to reduce fuel poverty was to support residents in reducing fuel costs via energy switching. She said: “Doing nothing is not an option. The energy switching market is confusing and predominantly web-based. Our approach will help to sign post more vulnerable households in fuel poverty to an alternative telephone-based service.

“Households will still have the option to use web-based energy switching sites. In other words, by promoting Community Switch the Council is providing households with an alternative option for energy switching targeted towards more vulnerable households.”

Residents should text ‘switch’ to 60777 for a call back or call 0333 240 6024 (a local call rate number and usually included in inclusive minutes). If you have internet access visit Hyndburn Councils website or that of Community Switch.