OREANDA-NEWS. October 26, 2012. In support of Big Energy Saving Week, which starts today, leading energy supplier SSE has strengthened its commitment to help customers save money through a targeted customer awareness campaign and the introduction of a new community-based energy adviser service, Smart Services.

Over the course of the week, SSE will work with the Citizens Advice Bureau and the Energy Saving Trust at events across the country, where qualified advisers will give practical help and advice to people on how they can become more energy efficient and take advantage of the offers available to them to reduce their energy bills.

SSE will also speak to more than 300,000 customers during the week through advisers at its five UK-based contact centres as well as online through its website, Twitter and Facebook channels, and will seek to raise awareness about the Week and the issues being discussed. Matching the themes of Big Energy Saving Week, conversations will take place each day on topics such as finding the best tariff, support for the fuel-poor and off-grid heating solutions.

This practical support will also be extended by SSE’s new Smart Services team who will visit customers’ homes for the first time during the week. The City and Guilds qualified advisers will visit homes by appointment only, offering consumers simple and practical advice on how to use less energy, including an energy efficiency review that is tailored to their energy use and their home. The new, free service is available to customers and non-customers alike and is being piloted in Wales and Scotland and will involve an initial team of around 60 energy advisers.

Big Energy Saving Week builds on the year-round help SSE gives its customers to manage their energy bills and save money. This includes:

Warm Home Discount support for 400,000 customers. Over the course of this year SSE expects to provide ₤50m in financial support to around 400,000 vulnerable customers. This includes specific help to over 80,000 individuals and families who do not otherwise qualify for assistance from the ‘core’ element of the Warm Home Discount scheme. In setting the criteria for this ‘broader’ group, SSE has widened its support to include groups such as low-income families with young children and those receiving disability benefit. Applications for this support are still being accepted.

340,000 homes to receive free insulation from SSE in 2012. Through the CERT and CESP programmes, SSE expects to have installed free loft or cavity wall insulation to over 340,000 homes by Dec 2012. Based on Energy Saving Trust figures1, this will result in annual savings of over ₤40m.

Annual Energy Reviews. Every SSE customer is being offered an Annual Energy Review to make sure they are on the best tariff for their needs, are paying for their energy in the most effective way, and are accessing any benefits or support they might be entitled to. Vulnerable customers are being prioritised during this process.

Fixed discount tariffs available to all pre-payment customers. To ensure pre-payment customers are able to get a better deal, SSE is leading the industry by making its fixed discount tariffs available to all pre-payment customers.

No Winter Disconnections. For the winter period (December to February), SSE will not disconnect the gas or electricity supply of any customer, unless there are issues of safety or criminality involved.

SSE’s Director of Customer Service, Tony Keeling said: "SSE fully supports Big Energy Saving Week and the activity taking place this week adds to the real and valued support SSE delivers to its customers on a daily basis. We recognise that energy costs make up a significant proportion of a household budget and, as a responsible energy supplier we want to help our customers take advantage of every means possible to reduce this.

“During the course of this week we will be encouraging customers of our retail brands: Scottish Hydro, Swalec, Atlantic, Southern Electric and SSE to talk to us via our UK-based contact centres, websites, social media channels and at events taking place in the community to get practical advice about their energy usage and to learn about the support available that will result in direct savings.

“Our new Smart Services team will bring SSE into the heart of the community, enabling customers to access face-to-face support on how they can become more energy efficient, reduce their bills and ultimately save money.”

1 Energy Saving Trust estimate average savings of up to ₤175 per year after installing loft insulation and average savings of ₤135 a year after installing cavity wall insulation.