What is Energy Best Deal & Energy Best Deal Extra ? February 2016

Energy Best Deal Citizens Advice has been working on the Energy Best Deal (EBD) Public awareness campaign with support from the energy regulator Ofgem and major energy companies since 2008 By the spring of 2015 Energy Best Deal had improved the confidence of over 350,000 domestic energy customers to shop around, reduce their bills and het help if they are falling behind

Delivering sessions Five energy companies British Gas First Utility ScottishPower SSE EDF Energy Provided £605,500 to support the delivery of more than 1,400 sessions between October 2013 and March 2014. The sessions reached 10,300 fuel poor consumers and 5,400 frontline workers. 97 local Citizens Advice and 90 other forum member agencies delivered the sessions.

Additional funding has been provided from three energy suppliers to enable EBD to continue into 2016 UK Power Networks Scottish Power

How Energy Best Deal is delivered EBD is delivered by members of the regional financial capability forums. Sessions are aimed at low income consumers and frontline staff who work with people at risk of fuel poverty. Sessions are based around a one hour presentation, with an information leaflet to hand out.

The campaign aims to: Make people aware of the savings that can be made by switching fuel providers or negotiating with existing providers Provide information about help available from energy suppliers and government for people struggling to pay their gas and electricity bills Inform consumers about how they might save money by using less energy, and sources of advice and help around energy efficiency.

To help reduce these problems Citizens Advice have developed the Feedback from the sessions has identified that a significant number of people who attended the sessions found it difficult to take the follow-up actions needed on their own. To help reduce these problems Citizens Advice have developed the Energy Best Deal Extra (EBDx) advice project to provide access to further support directly from these sessions

Who should be offered an EBDx appointment? People who have attended an EBD group learning session heard about the service from the trainer. People who contact local Citizens Advice asking about EBDx following an introduction to the service from a frontline worker in another organization or a someone else who attended a group session and heard about the service that way. People who are asking for assistance dealing with an energy/fuel related problem.

Ofgem also identified that it is important to take into account the needs of the following particular groups of consumers; those of pensionable age those that have a disability those that are chronically sick those on low incomes and those living in rural areas

EBDx session Will be a one to one advice meeting with a Citizens Advice adviser. Will be an opportunity for the client to receive help from the adviser to deal with an energy consumer issue, manage fuel bills, claim benefits or reduce the household outgoings on fuel.

EBDx Objectives As the lead organisation providing energy advice, we need to ensure that our programmes of work deliver the best outcomes for our clients. We need to ensure our staff receive training and support to enable them to deliver the best sessions possible to clients. We need to ensure that all Bureaux have an opportunity to increase their access to funding and support, beyond those currently involved.

To meet these objectives Citizens Advice will: Deliver individual energy advice sessions to clients from local offices Fund 40 Energy Champions across the network to provide a regional point of contact and support network for advisers. Carry out further research and development.

Centre for Sustainable Energy 2014 Evaluation Consumers who found a better deal and switched or intended to switch following their Energy Best Deal session, were asked how much they expected to save. The largest amount saved was £430 per year while the smallest was £40 per year. On average the expected saving was just over £150 per year.” Centre for Sustainable Energy 2014

Summary EBD Training sessions for low income consumers and/or frontline staff who work with people at risk of fuel poverty. A one hour presentation, with an information leaflet to hand out. EBDx A one to one advice meeting with a Citizens Advice adviser. The client will receive help to deal with an energy consumer issue, manage fuel bills, claim benefits or reduce the household outgoings on fuel.