00:00Here in the north-east, households continue to face high energy costs
00:05and official figures show the pressure remains significant.
00:09Government projections put just over 8% of households here in fuel poverty.
00:14That affects thousands of homes across the region.
00:18October's rise in Ofgem's price cap takes the typical annual bill
00:23for a dual-fuel household paying by direct debit from £1,663
00:29to £1,723.
00:32That's around £5 more a month,
00:35although what you actually pay still depends on how much energy you use.
00:39With budgets under pressure across the region,
00:42what can households do to bring those costs down?
00:46All sorts of stuff that you can look at around your house
00:48in terms of trying to understand how you use things differently
00:52or, you know, as you say, standby devices.
00:54I've realised this TV behind me has been on standby for about a year
00:57and I've not watched it.
00:59And so, you know, I've turned that off
01:01and 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
01:07that are using energy that you don't need 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 North East 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.
01:48Add 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
02:07or to manage your payments and things like that that make things easier?
02:11There are other organisations out there as well.
02:14Citizens Advice, National Energy Action, all there to give you advice around,
02:18actually, where can you get more support?
02:20Where 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.
02:27And there could be further pressure ahead.
02:30Analysts are forecasting another possible rise in the price cap in January,
02:35with wholesale energy costs still affected by global market uncertainty,
02:40including conflicts around the world.
02:43The January figure has not yet been confirmed,
02:45so any increase remains a forecast rather than a certainty.
02:49For households already finding bills difficult to manage,
02:53seeking support early may help prevent debts from building further.
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