Scottish Homeowners Being Hit Hard By Energy

Energy bills are an increasing concern for millions of British householders, particularly those living north of the border as the Office for National Statistics has this week revealed that Scotland is the country hardest hit by fuel costs in Britain.

Scottish homeowners are currently paying an average £112 per month for gas and electricity, compared to £105 in Wales and £103 in England, despite Scotland having a lower overall energy consumption than those living in Wales. A spokesperson for energy consumer experts uSwitch has given a possible reasoning behind the disproportion in billing: “The reason consumers in Scotland have a higher average monthly spend on energy could be the fact that it’s colder and so they use more, or that the distribution cost is higher which would impact their bills. This is because Scotland is less densely populated and so more pipes and wires are needed to get electricity to remote houses.” Citizen Advice Scotland on the other hand, put it down to the inaccurate billing often provided by energy companies: “Eight years of failure to get bills right is eight years too many. Our own figures show that nearly a third, 29 per cent, of Scots calling our national helpline about energy problems were calling about incorrect billing. “We would urge consumers to stand up for themselves and complain to their energy supplier when they are not happy with their service.” Whoever or whatever is to blame, it will come as little consolation to those struggling to heat their homes during the cold, winter months. If you’re one of these people then we strongly recommend that you think about replacing any old windows and doors as they are usually a primary cause of heat loss and draughts. Mitchell Glass has an extensive selection of replacement window and door designs, with even the option of triple glazing for those looking to make the largest energy savings possible. You can see many of them at our Galashiels showroom. The long-term savings will easily outweigh any investment made so it will be money well spent.