00:00Here in the West Midlands, households continue to face high energy costs
00:05and official figures show the pressure remains significant.
00:09Government projections put almost 11% of households here in fuel poverty.
00:14That's the highest rate of any region in England.
00:18October's rise in Ofgem's price cap takes the annual bill for a dual fuel household
00:24paying by direct debit from £1,663 to £1,723.
00:32That's around £5 more a month, although what you actually pay still depends on how much energy you use.
00:39With budgets under pressure across the region, what can households do to bring those costs down?
00:46All sorts of stuff that you can look at around your house in terms of trying to understand
00:50how you use things differently or, you know, as you say, standby devices.
00:54I've realised this TV behind me has been on standby for about a year and I've not watched it.
00:59And so, you know, I've turned that off and I'm making sure that I'm saving money on things like that.
01:03There's all sorts of devices in your home that are there on standby that are using energy that you don't
01:09need to.
01:09But it's also about thinking about how you do things slightly differently as well.
01:13So what can households here in the West Midlands do to save money on their energy bills?
01:20Well, there are a few simple steps you can take.
01:23In an average household, turning the thermostat down one degree could save you £105 per year.
01:29Just switching off lights when leaving a room could save as much as £20 a year.
01:35One less wash per week using either your washing machine or dishwasher could save £14 per year.
01:42While taking a four-minute shower and one less bath per week could save you £35 per person.
01:49Add that up and that's a saving of £174 per year.
01:53For many, though, cutting back will not be enough to cope with the rising cost of energy.
01:59So what help is out there?
02:01If you are worried, if you are struggling, then talk to your energy supplier.
02:05Is there something that they can do either to help you or to manage your payments and things like that
02:09that make things easier?
02:11There are other organisations out there as well, Citizens Advice, National Energy Action, all there to give you advice around
02:18actually where can you get more support, where can you get more help on this?
02:21So the key is getting help early if you're struggling with the cost of energy in your home and there
02:28could be further pressure ahead.
02:30Analysts are forecasting another possible rise in the price cap in January, with wholesale energy costs still affected by global
02:38market uncertainty, including conflicts around the world.
02:42The January figure has not yet been confirmed, so any increase remains a forecast rather than a certainty.
02:50For households already finding bills difficult to manage, seeking support early may help prevent debts from building further.
02:58destructions are told above.
02:59Tymour
03:00You
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