Many people will now be facing a cost-of-living crisis as they're hit by increased energy costs and rising inflation. Citizens Advice Charnwood knows how stressful it is to be worrying about affording bills and essentials and how important it is to get help as soon as possible.

Managing energy is complicated and people are not always aware of the support that is available. While many people our Advisers speak to have a good grip on their finances, the majority said they struggled with energy:--

"My gas and electric — that's the area where I feel the least confident… I don't really understand it…I thought that a fixed tariff meant I would only pay a fixed monthly amount regardless of how much energy I used….. Every now and again I'll look on comparison sites, get confused and not trust them.… ". Shelley

Poor understanding of the energy market means some people, like Shelley, can end up paying more. Frequently, people are unaware of the support they might be eligible to receive such as the Warm Home Discount or help to top up their prepayment meter. It might also be possible to take advantage of certain benefits, or other grants and help offered by the government and energy suppliers.

Customers can contact their supplier if they are worried about being able to afford to pay - suppliers should offer their customers affordable options to repay, and may offer other support. There are lots of different options to help.

If you are struggling our Advisers will be able to help with things like checking if you can get a fuel voucher to tide you over, work out a payment plan with your energy supplier and check to see if there is any further support available, such as grants or discounts.
If you are already in fuel poverty then ask to speak directly to our Energy Adviser.
Our Local Advice Line - 01509 649605.

If you find yourself getting into debt it is important not to panic but also not to ignore your debts - they won't go away!

At Citizens Advice Charnwood we provide a free, independent and confidential Money Advice Service to people with financial problems or struggling to make ends meet. But before contacting us we ask you to write down details of your income and essential expenditure. Make a complete list of your debts and collect all the letters and other documents that refer to them. One of our Advisers will then refer you to our Money Advice team.

Our Local Enquiry line on 01509 649605 is open on Mondays and Thursdays 9.30 am – 3.00pm & Tuesdays 9.30am – 12 noon.