Big Energy Week Monday 16 - Saturday 21 January 2012

Rising fuel bills are stretching household finances and people are looking for ways to save money on their energy bills.

To help consumers spend less on heating their home Citizens Advice is coordinating an advice campaign called Big Energy Week (16-21 January 2012) which will see thousands of people across the country get practical help and advice to cut their fuel bills and get all the financial support they are entitled to.

Citizens Advice Chief Executive Gillian Guy said: "More and more people are coming to us for advice on how to spend less on their fuel bills. While we continue to help people on a daily basis with face to face and online advice - there is a real need to reach out to more people who are struggling and Big Energy Week will be a chance for us to do just that."

As part of Big Energy Week there will be events up and down the country where people can get practical advice on how they could spend less on heating their home. There will also be advice leaflets available from every Citizens Advice Bureaux, and a website - www.bigenergyweek.org.uk full of tips to cut your energy bills.

Big Energy Week is supported by consumer organisations such as Consumer Focus and Which?, charities, the Government, Ofgem, energy suppliers and switching websites.

Big Energy Week was an outcome of the Energy Summit on 17 October 2011. Full details on the summit and its outcomes can be found at:

Notes to editors:

  1. The Citizens Advice service comprises a network of local bureaux, all of which are independent charities, the Citizens Advice consumer service and national charity Citizens Advice. Together we help people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers. For more see the Citizens Advice website .

  2. The advice provided by the Citizens Advice service is free, independent, confidential, and impartial, and available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality.

  3. To find your local bureau in England and Wales, visit citizensadvice.org.uk . You can also get advice online at adviceguide.org.uk

  4. You can get consumer advice from the Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 04 05 06 or 03454 04 05 05 for Welsh language speakers

  5. Citizens Advice Bureaux in England and Wales advised 2.3 million clients on 5.4 million problems from October 2013 to September 2014. For full 2013/2014  service statistics see our quarterly publication Advice trends

  6. Citizens Advice service staff are supported by more than 21,000 trained volunteers, working at over 3,000 service outlets across England and Wales.