Category: Energy Know How

By The Energy Know How Team, Sharon Smith, Lynn Clarkson and Madiya Shokat

We met an attendee of the Rawmarsh foodbank. It was confirmed that there were also a partner and two young children living in the council property. The attendee has anxiety and depression. They pay for utility bills by direct debit and confirmed that at the moment they have debts, we discussed The Citizens Advice bureau (CAB) who may be able to assist. The attendee was happy to be referred to CAB at the foodbank. We discussed energy saving measures and Green Doctor services. The attendee confirmed that they have draughts from the windows and would like any help or advice with this. The attendee was happy for me to send her contact details to Green Doctors. We also discussed Rotherham Councils (RMBC) newly launched crisis scheme where Rotherham residents could get between £80 and £200, subject to criteria. The attendee consented to contact details been sent to RMBC crisis scheme team for contact.

Time was spent trying to get to know the attendee and the family circumstances as well as discussing energy and how they could save energy and money by adopting some measures discussed like not leaving electrical items on standby.  The family have health struggles as well as financial and they were referred to Citizens Advice and RMBC Crisis scheme to offer further support. 

By The Energy Know How Team, Sharon Smith, Lynn Clarkson and Madiya Shokat

We first met Mr O in March 2026 at the social supermarket in Rotherham, where he previously volunteered and now attends because he cannot afford enough food. 

During a general conversation about saving energy, he mentioned arrears on his British Gas account. We emailed him a link to the British Gas Energy Trust so he could apply for support. Later that day, Mr O replied asking for help to complete the application, which we agreed to provide. We then arranged a further meeting for the following week. 

Mr O is a tenant of Rotherham Council and had always had prepayment meters for his energy, he limited his consumption to what he could afford whilst maintaining a debt repayment on his electricity. Back in December 2024 his gas meter was replaced with a new meter which he assumed would offer the same prepayment facility however although it appears from the photograph, to be a prepayment meter, it is not in prepayment mode, and his in-house display confirms this.  

Mr O has attempted to get this sorted and made a few calls to British Gas. Mr O has several health issues including a disability which makes using the telephone very difficult for him and he cannot always get his message across clearly – his speech difficulties means that face to face contact is easier. He also has a hole in his heart and suffers from anxiety which is being exacerbated by his current situation. 

As a result of the meter not being set up (and still not working) in prepayment mode, Mr O now has gas arrears of over £1200.00 which he cannot afford to pay. 

He receives Universal Credit but gets no additional money for his health issues as he is considered fit enough to work. He receives less than £350 per month for his Universal Credit Allowance after rent and water – due to a court order and water arrears – are deducted from which to pay his energy bills, food and all other household expenditure. 

He has had financial difficulties before but worked hard to clear these and had only water arrears and electric until this issue with his gas.

He is receiving phone calls almost every day about his outstanding balance and this is impacting on his anxiety. He has asked the operatives at British Gas to remove the gas supply to stop the calls, this cannot be an acceptable resolution. 

We have undertaken the following actions to try and help improve Mr O’s situation: – 

• We have applied on his behalf to British Gas energy trust for help to clear his gas arrears and are awaiting a decision on this which could take 6-8 weeks. 
• We have also applied to Yorkshire Water Community trust fund to ask for his remaining water arrears to be cleared which would stop the deduction for water arrears and give him an extra £20.00 per month on which to live. He currently has only £30.00 per week for food and if he needs any clothing or shoes, this must also come from this food budget so he cannot afford both. 
• We have applied to the center for sustainable energy to request some free top up vouchers that he can use on his electricity prepayment meter to alleviate a little pressure on his financial situation and am awaiting their decision. 
• A formal complaint has been made to British Gas and we have asked them to explain why the meter was not set up in prepayment mode and why after several requests it still hasn’t been done. We have also asked them to refrain from contacting Mr O until the outcome of his British Gas Energy Trust application is known. 

He has tried to switch to an alternative provider to get a prepayment meter that works so he can ration his usage to what he can afford – this switching request has been declined, and he cannot currently afford a repayment plan. 

He is on the priority services register and has multiple health issues, and his health is deteriorating because of this situation. 

Due to our support:

• The center for sustainable energy granted 3 x £49.00 top up vouchers to enable him top up his electricity meter and take a little pressure off his finances 
• Yorkshire Water trust cleared his arrears of £80 allowing the deductions to stop from his universal credit for water arrears 
• British Gas gave £200.00 as a ‘goodwill gesture’ however this was deducted from his gas arrears, and they then proceeded to send his debt to a debt collection agency causing him more stress, This was recalled after our intervention. 
• British Gas Energy Trust paid off his arrears of £1,104.00 on 30th May 2026. 

All that is left to sort is to request (again) that Mr O’s prepayment meter be put into prepayment mode to allow him to top up his gas going forward and to prevent this situation from arising again. British Gas have been emailed this request, and we are awaiting their response. 

By The Energy Know How Team, Sharon Smith, Lynn Clarkson and Madiya Shokat

Kenneth wanted to meet in person after the catch-up café, because he has been struggling to keep up with his electricity bills. Over the past few months, his electricity costs have increased to around £140 per month, which he finds difficult to manage alongside his other living expenses.

Kenneth explained that he often keeps the heating on for long periods because his flat feels cold. He also leaves appliances such as the TV, Wi-Fi router, and laptop on standby overnight. In addition, he frequently uses the tumble dryer rather than air drying his clothes, which increases his electricity use. Kenneth is concerned about his rising bills but is unsure what changes he can make to reduce them without affecting his comfort at home.

We reassured Kenneth that there are several ways he can reduce his electricity usage while still keeping his home comfortable. We advised him to switch appliances off at the wall instead of leaving them on standby. This includes the TV and other electronics, which can use electricity even when not in use. We suggested replacing any older light bulbs with LED bulbs, which use up to 80% less electricity and last much longer than traditional bulbs. We recommended setting the heating to come on only when needed using timers or thermostat controls. Lowering the thermostat by 1°C can help reduce energy costs. Where possible, Kenneth could use an indoor drying rack instead of the tumble dryer. This can significantly reduce electricity usage. Switching off lights when leaving a room can help reduce unnecessary electricity consumption.

We also advised Kenneth to contact his energy supplier to see if he may be eligible for; Energy supplier hardship funds, Payment plans or Energy efficiency support schemes

He felt more confident after receiving the advice. He decided to start by switching off appliances at the wall, using a clothing drying rack instead of the tumble dryer where possible, and adjusting his heating settings.

By making these small changes, Kenneth hopes to reduce his electricity usage and better manage his monthly energy bills.

By The Energy Know How Team, Sharon Smith, Lynn Clarkson and Madiya Shokat

Lynn paid a visit to the baby and toddler group at Springwell Gardens to establish if the group lead felt that people attending the group would benefit from speaking to RotherFed’s energy team.  The facilitator of the group confirmed that it would be a good idea and was very welcoming.  The group ran for one hour and was well attended therefore Sharon who was in Springwell helped out to ensure that we spoke to everyone.  The information was well received, energy saving tips and services and the Green Doctors offer, in particular.  Over half the group felt that they would benefit from a Green Doctor visit to help them with draughty windows and doors together with condensation issues and cold rooms.  After the playgroup finished the lead asked if we would be available to speak to other play groups and gave me venue details and contact for her manager to sort out some visit days. The drop-in session demonstrated that the services we offer are valued and needed in Rotherham.

By The Energy Know How Team, Sharon Smith, Lynn Clarkson & Madiya Shokat

We called in at the Social Supermarket which is run from the minster in town as we had not visited for a while.

The church was quite busy and the groups that have developed in addition to the social networks were setting up, they now have a sewing group, and the craft group has been running for quite some time.

We were welcomed and given a table near to the refreshments area. We were able to speak to quite a few people, all of which were very concerned about current world events and the upcoming consequences on their energy bills.

Free draught proofing measures and energy saving tips were offered which were well received as well as providing thermostats to help people to monitor the temperature in their homes.

One person mentioned he had quite a lot of arrears on his gas, he explained he had previously been on a prepayment meter however, this was updated to a smart meter and was not put in prepayment mode. He has, because of this, accrued arrears of over £1000 as he struggles to budget for quarterly bills.

He is in the process of complaining to his energy provider as he was not clearly informed of the process. He hasn’t had a complaint reference number so was encouraged to ask for this to ensure his complaint had been formally recorded. We also agreed to email him a link to the British Gas energy trust scheme which may be able to help him with his arrears.

This client was very appreciative of the information provided, the staff and volunteers at the Social Supermarket were also pleased to see the energy team and were given an additional supply of our leaflets to distribute to the clients that need them. We will continue to support this valuable service – this was a very rewarding visit

By The Energy Know How Team

We met Patricia at a winter wellbeing event at Riverside library on 8^th October– she was just browsing and mentioned she had an issue with her energy provider. She did not have time to discuss it however, she took away our leaflet and contact information and was encouraged to call us if she was unable to resolve the situation herself.

Patricia contacted us about a week after and requested support, We met Patricia at Riverside library. She brought lots of paperwork and we explained it would take time to sort through the correspondence and get a full picture of the issue before any actions could be considered.

She has an issue with her bills from British gas with both her gas and electricity bills.

She received a bill in February 2025 for over £900.00 after being in the house less than 3 months, she said it could not be correct as her boiler did not work properly. She had no reliable hot water or heating. She has visited Citizens advice who after two meetings said they could not support her anymore. She said they had lodged a complaint however until her paperwork was sorted out, we could not be sure of this.

She had tried to dispute this bill and is certain the gas meter was faulty – British gas had recently removed the gas meter and installed another (on 8^th October) but had not yet informed her of the outcome of their tests – if they deem the meter as ‘accurate’ she would be charged £175 for the new meter.

We agreed to take the paperwork to sort through and review. Patricia was asked that if British Gas ring her, to ask them to contact us so that we can get their understanding of the issue and ascertain whether an ongoing complaint is in place. We said we would meet with Patricia again when all her paperwork is sorted and we have had chance to speak with British Gas.

After many hours we had her paperwork in order and had separated bills from her former property and her current one, however the bills were very confusing.

We had several long and lengthy conversations with the complaint handler at British Gas and explained our concerns – it was eventually agreed to cancel all the previous bills and start again, and this would then include the meter exchange although no result of the meter test had been received at that point. We were assured that ‘actual’ readings would be used and that the bill would then be correct – the bill however would not show the payment made by Patricia of £912.46 in March as their billing system fails to show payments made when bills are re-issued.

The bill was re-issued and emailed to us however we noticed at this point that the calculation to take gas units to KWH’s was incorrect and that Patricia had been overcharged – not a great deal but potentially a large issue if it affects lots of customers – we mentioned this to the complaint handler who confirmed by email that we was correct, the calculations were inaccurate and that this had been reported internally – A £5.00 credit was offered to cover the over-charge.

We were then informed that the meter test had recorded that her gas meter was accurate however due to the length of time it took to arrange and report back – British Gas would waiver the cost of £175.00. Patricia now had to make a decision whether she was happy with this offer.

We met with Patricia a second time at the library to update her on the work that had been done on her case and to discuss her options.

We handed Patricia her documentation back in 3 files which we had prepared for her. The first contained all her bills letters etc for her former home that she moved out of in December 2024. The second was a cardboard folder which contained all the envelopes that had her notes on along with pages of notes she had made whilst trying to sort out her billing issue earlier in the year and the third folder contained the information for her current property and was sectioned to have bills, price change notifications, reminder letters and letters from BW legal when she was being chased for unpaid and inaccurate bills. She was also given a £10 note which was in one of the envelopes when we were sorting out her paperwork after our first meeting. This was the first opportunity to return this to her in person.

We explained the work that had been done to establish an accurate bill, confirmed that the findings of the meter test had shown her gas meter to be accurate (she had received notification directly of this) and explained the conversations with Heather at British Gas.

The situation is now that she has an accurate(ish) bill – the calculations are inaccurate, but she has been awarded a £5.00 credit which should show on her next bill and this more than covers the over-charge.

Heather from British gas has said they will waive the charge for the meter test of £175.00, they have also during the complaint reimbursed 2 charges of £44 for her account being sent to debt collection – they were not prepared to offer any further recompense.

The bill (from 20^th December up to 12^th November) stands at £999.17 Patricia paid £912.46 in March making a total energy bill of £1,911.63 – an average of £173 per month.

There must have been some escape of gas just after she moved in as her usage was excessive in the first day or so or her heating was constantly on high, either case the gas had passed through the meter so was chargeable.

We explained that Patricia has the option to accept this and pay the £999.17 or refer the case to the ombudsman, it was her decision.

Patricia was concerned (as we are) about the inaccurate calculations however, she accepts that her bill is now accurate (sort of) and wants to draw a line under the situation.

She will pay the bill but has no confidence in British Gas and their billing system.

She was told that she has another bill due in December, but she will look to change providers. She asked for the phone number for Octopus energy so this has been given however we have stressed we are in no way recommending them as an alternative provider. She needs to call them if she wants to proceed with a switch and discuss payment options as she does not want a direct debit.

By The Energy Know How Team

The Energy Know How Team was approached in May just after our new project started by a colleague who was supporting a group of deaf people who meet weekly to socialise. A member of the group was quite distressed following the servicing of his boiler and didn’t know where to turn to get the issue resolved.

Sharon met with the client and a sign language interpreter, documentation was taken from the client and we agreed to meet him again the week after Sharon had viewed the documentation and prepared a list of questions that was needed to fully understand the situation and before a course of action could be decided.

The following week after meeting the client again the situation was clearer however, sorting the issue was not going to be easy – this is a summary of his situation.

He had requested an annual service as part of his British Gas homecare policy, he has this policy to ensure he and his son were kept safe and to ensure any issues with his heating are quickly sorted.

The engineer who visited his property confirmed the boiler was unsafe to use due to multiple issues with the wiring and the flue pipe which was venting under the clients’ car port and against the manufacturer’s recommendations. An ‘at risk’ notice was issued.

The boiler was only just over two years old and had been fitted as part of a grant scheme by a company in Liverpool, it had been given the ‘all clear’ at two previous boiler services…. An issue that needed to be addressed.

After many, many phone calls and emails to British Gas and a formal complaint they stated they were unable to rectify the situation as they did not install the boiler but accepted that the issues should have been identified at the earlier services and offered compensation of £250.00 for their failings which the client accepted.

It was much more difficult to convince the installers that they had a responsibility to put right the issues when the boiler had been in place for over two years…. Eventually and again after many phone calls, emails and suggestions that Sharon would contact the governing body for gas installers, they agreed to address the problems.

The first electrical visit addressed the issue of wiring protruding from the wall at the side of the boiler with no idea whether these were ‘live’ He left without sorting the second electrical issue.

Weeks later and again after much chasing and the company denying the car port was in situ before the boiler was installed, we were able to obtain photographic evidence that the car port was in fact in place before the boiler was updated. The company agreed to attend and install an extension to vent the flue outside of the car port.

This left one remaining issue (or so we thought). There was a length of wiring cutting diagonally across the corner of the room from the fuse box into the bottom of the boiler which was uncovered and unsupported in any way.  Had anything fallen on this wire from above then the wire could have been severely damaged, it didn’t look as though it should be like that. Sharon made further calls to the installers who stated the wiring was indeed up to standard however Sharon’s gut feeling was different so she suggested that she would contact NIC the governing body for electrical installations and seek their advice. Within 10 minutes the company confirmed that they would be sending an engineer to replace and re-route the wire which they did and they enclosed it in cable trunking after taking it around the wall.

Sharon arranged for British Gas to revisit the property and ‘sign off’ the repairs as satisfactory and remove the at-risk notice however, this did not go as planned.

The engineer that attended confirmed after much consultation with the manufacturers technical team that the flue that had been extended was still not in fact satisfactory due to the car port not being fully exposed on at least two side. A second ‘at risk’ notice was issued. Sharon met with the engineer at the property, and he explained in detail what the issue was and the work needed to be done to correct it.

Sharon returned to the installers and after much discussion and many emails they agreed to carry out the work needed. They changed the flue pipe to vent up through the top of the car port and Sharon attended the property in person to ensure that the work underway was to amend the flue in the way that had been suggested by the previous British Gas engineer.

A further inspection from British gas on 1^st October then confirmed that the installation was safe at last and the ‘at risk’ notice was removed.

The client who is unable to use a telephone due to being deaf could never have navigated this issue without in-depth and many many hours of support. We could not have left this issue unresolved despite the huge effort it has taken we have eventually reached a situation where the client is no longer at risk from a badly installed boiler and he has been compensated for the failings of British Gas to notice these errors sooner.

It is so difficult for people with communication problems to contact energy providers and resolve issues, they could do much more to make it easier.

By The Energy Know How Team

The client made contact with Lynn following a referral from a friend. The client confirmed that they have COPD and severe arthritis and is also a carer for their son who is receiving support for an illness. They live in a council property and only have electricity for energy, paying £40 per week. The client is worried about bills increasing with winter approaching and also feels confused around the benefits they receive in particular pension credit. We discussed a referral to Citizens Advice for a benefits calculation and the client was interested in and will give it consideration before a referral is made. We also discussed energy saving measures and the client confirmed that they have a booklet with energy saving tips some of which they now use. We also discussed Green Doctor services and some of the low level energy saving measures they provide which the client was interested in and consented to a referral to Green Doctors. 

The client confirmed that the information provided had been useful and she had got more information out of the call than she was expecting. The client is to contact me should she decide on a Citizens Advice referral which will be forwarded to our Money Matters team.

By the More Energy Know How team

We met the lady at Rawmarsh foodbank on 13^th February 2025.  The lady confirmed that she was receiving benefits and was struggling financially.  Her property is cold, and she has a single storey bathroom extension on her private rented property that is always cold. The window will not open, and the extractor fan is broken. We discussed Green Doctor services, and the lady was keen to receive help from them and consented to a referral. We also discussed energy saving tips which could help the family save energy and money.  We also discussed Rotherham Councils Energy Crisis support scheme up to £250 grant, subject to criteria.  The lady confirmed that she matched the criteria and would apply directly on-line. The team also mentioned Citizen’s advice that can help should the lady have any arrears on her energy of other accounts.  She received a Rotherfed winter warm bag which she was grateful for.  The lady appreciated the information and thanked Rotherfed for the service we offer.