The days are dark, the weather is wet, and it’s time to turn on the heating. For most people, this is just a part of the changing seasons, but there are 15,000 households in Brighton & Hove whose inhabitants struggle to heat their homes. Living in cold conditions has a terrible impact on physical and mental health, and causes a shocking 135 ‘excess winter deaths’ in the city each year. The St Peter’s & North Laine ward has been identified by UK Power Networks as one of the most deprived wards in the South East.

It’s estimated that seven out of ten households are paying too much for their energy. If you haven’t reviewed your tariff recently, you should, because you’re probably overpaying by about £250 a year. Brighton and Hove Energy Services Co-op (BHESCo) offers free, impartial advice to anyone in the area who wants to save money. Since 2014, they have helped hundreds of local bill-payers to collectively save over £50,000.

BHESCo’s founder, Kayla Ente, said: “We are thrilled to be a part of the  government’s ‘Big Energy Saving Network’ again. The programme allows us to make a real difference to the warmth and well-being of residents in our city.”

For help with your bills, or to arrange a talk from one of BHESCo’s energy advisors, call them free 0800 999 6671 or visit bhesco.co.uk. BHESCo can help people switch energy supplier for a lower tariff or visit their homes to install low cost measures, like draught proofing, or help them get support to insulate their homes. All for free. They would also work with private landlords, where possible, to achieve this goal.