Every UK household will have to pay extra on their energy bills in 2022 – just to pick up the tab for more than £130m of FREE energy given out by Britain’s biggest energy failure.
That’s according to Bill Bullen, Founder and CEO of Utilita Energy, who has slammed Bulb’s strategy of giving new customers a £50 free energy credit – and another £50 to friends who referred them – in a bid to drive growth.
He says that Bulb’s “irresponsible approach” to lure in customers from rival suppliers will slap £5 on every domestic energy bill next year – at an estimated total cost of £132m1.
Just days after Ofgem revealed its action plan for improved financial resilience in the sector – effectively a ‘stress test’ for incumbents and new entrants – Bill Bullen is calling for the regulator to review the use of ‘free energy’ referral schemes too.
“It is not the fault of Bulb’s customers, but the reality is everyone else will end up paying for Bulb’s irresponsible approach,” he says.
Bulb has lost tens of millions of pounds since 2015 and is now being run by Government consultants to save it from collapse. Taxpayers are funding this to the tune of an estimated £2bn already.
Mr Bullen believes the firm’s referral strategy is partly to blame and, worse still, says it encouraged behaviour at odds with the nation’s net zero ambitions.
“Telling customers that energy is free, cheap, or selling it ‘below cost’ is not only unsustainable and irresponsible, but by doing so it encourages consumers to be frivolous with energy. Right now, most homes in the UK waste around 20% of the energy they pay for. This cannot continue.
“To enable consumers to make the right choices for their pocket and the planet, I am calling for the industry regulator to require suppliers to show their value proposition, whereby each supplier presents what value it can offer to the consumer, as an energy partner. This would result in households using and paying less and would give the UK a chance of hitting its 2050 net zero target.”
New campaign encourages pro-planet habit forming for 79% of people who want to impact climate change, but struggle to do so
Research confirms pro-planet habits can form in 66 days
National campaign has the power to fast-forward the UK’s journey by as much as two years and save households around £250 on annual energy bills
A new consumer behaviour change campaign named ‘Planet Pledge’ is inviting every household in the UK to sign up to a 66-day environmental pledge starting on 17th January with the ambition of encouraging long-term pro-planet habits that will get the nation to net zero as much as two years before the Government’s 2050 target.
The campaign is based on research that reveals that 79 percent of people in the UK would like to do more at home to tackle climate change but can’t get into the habit of doing so.
Despite the popular belief that it takes 21 days to form a habit, the campaign has been designed around a behavioural science study undertaken by Dr Pippa Lally and colleagues at University College London, which found that the average time it took to form a habit is 66 days.
All members of the household can get involved – not just the bill payer – at www.planetpledge.co.uk.
Participants will receive a welcome guide to introduce as many as nine new energy-saving behaviours, each to be completed for a minimum of 66 days. Each week participants will receive an email with exclusive tips and advice on pro-planet habit forming from Dr Lally.
By signing up, households can reduce their home energy wastage by up to 20 percent, which would help the UK to reach its 2050 net zero target as much as two years sooner and save each household around £250 on their annual energy spend.
Utilita Energy, the UK’s only energy supplier created to help households use less energy, is behind the campaign, after revealing that the majority of people want to make positive changes in their behaviours at home (79%) and more than three in five people said it makes them feel good when they make an effort to reduce their carbon footprint (63%).[3] The Planet Pledge campaign will reward participants who share their efforts via social media, with eco-themed prizes, including a smartphone, washing machine and an eco-friendly staycation worth £3,000.
Dr Pippa Lally, Behavioural Scientist at University College London is an expert on habit forming. She said: “Forming pro-planet habits makes it easier for us to continue to work towards tackling climate change in our daily lives even when we are busy and distracted.
“The Planet Pledge is a great way to challenge ourselves to make alterations to how we behave – be that turning the tap off whilst brushing our teeth or turning lights off when we leave the room. Every little action will add up to make a big impact.”
The most common pro-planet behaviours that people across the UK already do are:
Recycle rubbish – 63%
Turn off unused lights – 61%
Re-wearing clothes (and not washing them after one wear) – 48%
Keeping the home heating to a healthy home heat – 46%
Using a reusable water bottle – 44%
However, some of the easiest and free ways to reduce the impact households have on the environment are still not being done by most people:
80% of those with a dishwasher don’t use the eco setting
70% of people have never used the eco setting on their washing machine
66% of people shower with no consideration of time
66% of people use standby instead of switching items off
58% of people leave items plugged in to use vampire energy
Utilita Energy’s well-established relationship with schools, football clubs (from grassroots through to the Premier League), community groups, and its nine High Street Energy Hubs will mean the Planet Pledge initiative has the power to reach hundreds of thousands of households right across the UK.
Sarah Mitcherson, Headteacher at Ridgeway Academy in Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire comments on why she thinks families will be keen to make their pledge:“As a school we do everything in our power to act in the interest of the planet.
“For the first time we’ve been able to invite every family to get involved with Planet Pledge, and all do something as a collective. We expect the campaign will be a great success, and we hope to keep the conversation going with families well after the 66-days.”
David James MBE, former England goalkeeper and environmentalist, comments on why he’s making a pledge to the planet:“I’ve been attempting to do the right thing by the planet for three decades – sometimes it works out, and sometimes, it just doesn’t.
“If the intention is there – which it appears to be for 79% of the nation – the habits can and will form, with the advice given by the week-by-week campaign.
“This is the first time I’ve ever known a brand to identify the barriers to positive behaviour change and go some way in helping consumers to get over them, which is really commendable.”
Archie Lasseter, Utilita Energy’s Sustainability Lead is responsible for getting the supplier to become a net zero business by 2030. He comments on why Utilita has been leading the way on ‘using less’ since 2003:“Energy suppliers exist with one main objective – to sell as much energy as possible and to make a margin.
“Utilita is very different. Our mission since launch has been to give as many homes as possible the technology and energy intelligence, they need to cut their energy wastage, and this latest campaign to promote habit-forming will support that.
“Back in 2019 we launched our award-winning Energy High 5 campaign, which has already reached almost four million households, and now we’re enabling every household to shave £250 off their annual energy bill. This latest research reveals that consumers want to do their bit for the environment, but just need a little help in doing so.”
The campaign follows on from the November launch of the hugely successful ‘Wear Warm’ campaign, which encouraged households not to go above 21 degrees at home and wrap up warm instead.
Reports from many of the 660 charity shops taking part in the campaign said the engagement with the idea has been fantastic for driving footfall and encouraging conversations around the healthy amount of home heat.
Signing up to make a ‘Planet Pledge’
Everyone can sign up to make their Planet Pledge from Friday 17th December 2021.
The campaign begins on Monday 17th January 2022 to celebrate the first day of the Energy Savings Trust’s ‘Big Energy Savings Week’.
Everyone taking part will be in with a chance of winning weekly prizes, including energy efficiency bundles and one uk-based eco holiday worth £3,000.
The smell of freshly cut grass and kids shrieking as they have their first dip in the paddling pool makes being outdoors great, but they are just a few of the hundreds of great benefits.
Debra Clason, Hub Manager of the Utilita Energy Hub in Leith, said: “Whether you’re heading to Cornwall or Portugal, or simply looking to spend more time out in your garden or local park, save money by switching off items in your home, and resetting timers where hot water might not be needed so much.
“By doing so, you’ll save what could be going towards the ice-cream fund!”
To help save energy in the home this summer, Debra’s shared the following tips:
Invest in a plug-in timer
If you’re planning a trip away, but would like to keep a light on for security reasons, consider investing in a plug-in timer, to pop the light on and off at times you choose. Doing so will save you energy whilst keeping your home looking ‘lived in’ whilst you’re away.
Eat up!
If you’re looking to be away for some time, why not be savvy with mealtimes and use up everything in your fridge freezer before you leave? You could then turn the appliance off at the plug whilst you’re away – saving precious energy.
Pull the curtains
As the weather heats up, pull the curtains and blinds before leaving the home to keep your home from heating up like a small furnace for your return. It’ll keep your home cool whilst saving you a small fortune on fans.
Switch appliances off
Keeping appliances on standby is one of the biggest ways to waste energy! Game consoles in particular are massive vampire suckers, likewise with TVs and home entertainment systems. Ensuring everything is switched off at the socket will save you a pretty penny.
UTILITA GETS ‘UP FRONT’ TO CELEBRATE HIBERNIAN FC’sPRO-PLANET APPROACH TO FOOTBALL
Utilita– the UK’s only energy company created to help households use less energy – has officially announced this week that it will become the front of shirt sponsor as part of its two-year principal partner agreement with one of the UK’s greenest football clubs, Hibernian F.C.
The deal follows a successful partnership between Utilita and Hibernian F.C. during the 2020 and 2021 season, which saw the energy company’s logo on the back of shirt. Now in the fifth year of their long-term partnership, Utilita will feature in prime position on the front of the club’s home and away shirts and third kit strips, which are soon to be unveiled.
Both Utilita and Hibernian F.C. share many common values, with the two biggest being pro-planet and pro-local community.
Over the past few seasons, Utilita has been working with the club to make a difference within the local area, most recently donating significant sums to the Community Foundation’s “Famous Five a Day Campaign” – which provides food parcels to families who need them – and donating match passes to local schools.
Utilita also has offices and an exclusive high street Energy Hub in the buzzing port district of Leith.
Opened just two years ago, the hugely successful Energy Hub is a first-of-its-kind in Scotland, offering face-to-face customer service, energy efficiency advice and technology, access to interactive kid-friendly energy efficiency apps, and a dedicated community space that is open for the public to book and use from Monday to Saturday. Locals can also purchase Hibernian F.C. merchandise in-store.
Central to the partnership will be Utilita’s industry award-winning Energy High 5 movement –helping households to avoid the five habits that waste energy, enabling households to save up to £163 per year, while helping the planet. Everyone can take part and start saving today, at www.utilita.co.uk/energyhigh5 .
Greg McEwan, Hibernian F.C.’s Interim Chief Executive, commented on the support from Utilita: “The front of shirt sponsor needs to be just right, and must share the same values as our club.
“Therefore, I am delighted that we have exactly that in our partnership with Utilita, which is pro-planet and pro-community – it’s great to see an energy company with such high moral standards.
“The team at Utilita are passionate and want to make a difference, not only in terms of reducing energy bills, but in the local community too.”
Jem Maidment, Utilita’s Chief Marketing Officer, said: “We couldn’t be prouder to be Hibernian F.C.’s principal partner after what has already been a hugely successful four seasons with the club.
“As the greenest club in Scotland – and the third greenest club in the UK – we share many common values and we’re chuffed of the support they’ve given us in backing Energy High 5, a campaign which encourages people to cut down their energy usage with five free and easy-to-follow tips – saving both their pocket and the planet!
“We’re excited to see what next season brings as Hibs take on European opposition.”
The partnership announcement follows Utilita’s newly launched Football Rebooted campaign with environmentalist and former goalkeeper, David James MBE, which encourages people to donate and claim pre-played football boots and all-weather football trainers, to save families a small fortune, as well as 136,000 tonnes of carbon – the same as taking 7,000 cars off the road for a year, or turning the energy off in one million medium-sized houses for a week. Over 500 pairs of boots were donated in the first 48-hours of the campaign launching.
Football Rebooted is designed to put an aspirational spin on a mechanic that will get good boots through to families struggling to afford new ones, after Utilita’s State of Play report revealed that out of the 74 percent of families who had been impacted financially by the pandemic, 18 percent won’t be able to send their kids back to grassroots football as they can’t afford boots and other items such as goalie gloves and shin pads.
Founded in 2003, Utilita is one of the nation’s fastest-growing independent energy suppliers – currently powering more than 800,000 UK customers. It’s established itself as a hugely-recognisable brand within British football, having supplied power to a number of iconic stadiums while partnering with over 20 clubs.
A new ‘Football Rebooted’ campaign has been launched today by the UK’s leading smart energy supplier, Utilita, and former England and Premier League goalkeeper, David James MBE.
The campaign has been created to help the nation recycle at least one million pairs of ‘pre-played’ football boots and astro boots, saving families a small fortune, as well as 136,000 tonnes of carbon – the same as taking 7,000 cars off the road for a year, or turning the energy off in one million medium-sized houses for a week.
The ‘donate and claim’ campaign, enables anyone with spare football boots or astro boots to request a freepost ‘boot bag’ to donate their boots, after which their boots will appear at one of many claim stations that will pop up in parks, training grounds, and at some of the UK’s largest football clubs.
Premium pairs of the ‘most wanted’ retro boots and former and current players’ boots and other items will also be in the mix, giving anyone a chance to come along and grab a pair to be proud of.
The campaign is strategically designed to put an aspirational spin on a mechanic that will get good boots through to families struggling to afford new ones, after Utilita’s State of Play report revealed that out of the 74 percent of families who had been impacted financially by the pandemic, 18 percent won’t be able to send their kids back to grassroots football as they can’t afford boots and other items such as goalie gloves and shin pads.
Campaign ambassador and keen environmentalist, David James, and the Utilita team held focus groups with families, which revealed the barriers to boots finding new homes – the biggest being pride.
The donate and claim mechanic avoids families needing to accept charity from people they know, and makes claiming a new pair an aspirational activity, whereby people are impacting the environment, too.
Campaign ambassador, David James MBE, comments on why the campaign is so important: “Right now, there are millions of pairs of football boots that people have grown out of or replaced, and we need to make sure they don’t end up in landfill.
“Getting these boots replayed through Utilita’s Football Rebooted campaign will not only save players a few quid but will also act as an important reminder about the power of upcycling and reusing items that still have a lot of life left in them.”
https://twitter.com/i/status/1396005495866118144
Bill Bullen, founder of Utilita – the only energy company created to help households use and waste less energy – explained why Utilita has created the Football Rebooted campaign: “Most consumers are becoming more thoughtful about how their choices impact the environment, but sometimes life gets in the way of making the right choice. That’s why we have created Football Rebooted, which makes recycling football boots with plenty of life left in them, really easy.
“The campaign has been shaped by grassroots football players, coaches and parents, so uses carbon-saving examples that really resonate with this audience – home energy usage and taking cars off the road. It’s been incredibly encouraging to see football players as young as six years old talk passionately about the importance of protecting the environment.”
Premier League and EFL clubs across the UK, including Portsmouth, Southampton, Derby County and Leeds United, have already signed up to donate the football boots worn by their academy players, while first-team players have also donated their own boots in the interests of the environment.
As part of the new campaign, schools can request boots be sent to them for children who they identify as needing football boots to enable them to play in or outside of school.
English Schools’ FA (ESFA) Chairman, Phil Harding, said:“The last 12 months have been very difficult for families, teams, players and schools alike and, as the National Governing Body for Schools’ Football, the ESFA welcome any campaign to help ensure children have every opportunity to take part in a sport that they are passionate about, but that is also so beneficial for both their physical and mental health.
“The Football Rebooted campaign not only has a great environmental message but is also working towards helping children to be active, participate and enjoy school sport.”
After over a year in and out of lockdown, many of us have turned to technology to keep ourselves entertained – from binging on hit Netflix shows such as Tiger King and Bridgerton, to making daily purchases via Amazon Prime.
But as things continue to ease up, and we edge ever closer to the Great British Summertime (and freedom!), we may be planning exciting days out with friends and family – many of whom we haven’t seen in several months, or even a year!
Before you step outside and enjoy the sunshine, take a moment to check around the home for any appliances which may be on standby. Doing could save you £30 a year – not bad!
Debra Clason, Hub Manager at the Utilita Energy Hub in Leith, Edinburgh, has shared her top tips for saving energy during this time:
Dust off the clothes horse
As the days get warmer, pull out the clothes horse from the back of the cupboard and dry freshly washed items quickly in the sun without the need of the tumble-dryer.
Check your heating
When the weather heats up, check your heating and make sure it’s either off because it’s warm enough outside, or that it set lower to save you in the long run.
Stay cool with cross ventilation
Create a cool breeze through the home by opening a window at the font and another at the back, to let air free flow through rooms – and save the fan until things really heat up!
Make the most of the great outdoors
As the weather improves after being cooped up inside for several months, make the most out of the great outdoors. Less time in the home enjoying ourselves means less energy used.
Debra comments: “Our research reveals on average, British homes have 10 unused items plugged in and switched on at any time. Across the UK’s millions of homes, those with at least one TV waste a staggering £432 million on unnecessary energy every year by leaving the set on standby.
“By simply switching your appliances off at the power source after using them, you could save £30 a year.”
“Find other tips on how you could save £163 each year on energy bills with our Energy High 5 movement.”
Energy-Saving Tips from Debra Clason, Hub Manager at the Utilita Energy Hub in Leith:
As the nation eases out of lockdown, after a year of working, living and home schooling in the same four walls, many of us may be looking to spring clean our homes ready for the summer months of freedom that lay ahead.
But how can you spring clean your home cost effectively? Debra Clason, Hub Manager at the Utilita Energy Hub in Leith, Edinburgh, shares some tips:
Make use of the natural light –after polishing the windows from the inside, why not show off your hard work by pulling up the blinds and letting the natural light come in – saving £14 by switching off lights.
Turning electricals off at the plug – as you spring clean your way room-to-room, check that unused electricals are switched off at the power source to save £30.
Turn the heating down – Whilst clearing out the boiler cupboard, spend a couple of minutes readjusting the temperature for the summer months – by turning the heating down by just one degree, you could save £80!
Refresh the fridge and freezer – it’s easy to forget that the fridge and freezer are constantly consuming energy. Cleaning the fridge, especially at the back, will allow air to circulate more freely and use less energy.
Debra also explained the money saving advantages of washing at low temperatures:“Before you pop those bedsheets in the wash, did you know you could save £9 by simply switching from 40C / 60C to 30C – it might not sound like a lot, but when combined with our four other energy-saving tips with Energy High 5, you could save up to £163 per year. Not bad!
“And did you know that stains are not impacted by the temperature of the water? Instead, it’s about carefully breaking down of any residue on the item. You only need a higher temperature wash (40C / 60C degrees) for heavily soiled items, such as muddy football socks. If you rinse the soiled item under the tap before popping them into the wash, you could wash at a lower temperature – helping to save money!”
Working in partnership with the Energy Saving Trust and National Energy Action, Utilita – the only energy company created to help households use less energy – prepares monthly advice that every household can put into action, at no cost, to save up to £163 each year on their energy bills with its Energy High 5 movement.
Utilita, the UK’s leading Smart Pay as You Go energy supplier, has donated £17,910 to The City of Edinburgh Council for community-based projects as part of its ‘Community Fund’ initiative.
The first project that’s kicked off included tree planting in a green space at Firrhill Crescent, in South West Edinburgh.
With Edinburgh set to become a ‘Million Tree City’ by 2030, three beautiful birch trees and three cherry trees were bought and planted by the council thanks to the Utilita Community Fund to benefit future generations to come.
Cllr Donald Wilson, Culture and Communities Convener at The City of Edinburgh Council, commented: “Edinburgh already outstrips other Scottish cities by having more trees per head of population.
“In 2019, we became the first Scottish local authority to support the Charter for Trees, pledging our full commitment to cherish, nurture and celebrate our trees. We are also committed to becoming a Million tree City and this is a welcome step forward working in partnership with Utilita and with local communities.”
Cllr Amy McNeese-Mechan, Culture and Communities Vice Convener at The City of Edinburgh Council, commented:“The generous donation from Utilita helps to support our mission to become a ‘Million Tree City’ by 2030.
“We’re looking forward to working on many other great projects using the Community Fund which benefits the people of Edinburgh and our beautiful city!”
Bill Bullen, Environmentalist and CEO of Utilita, commented: “We’re delighted that The City of Edinburgh Council is putting the Community Fund towards a series of positive projects that’ll help enrich the area and support locals.
“The tree planting is a great project to kick off with and we’re excited to see how the fund will be used further in the coming weeks and months.”
Other upcoming community-based projects taking place as a result of the Utilita Community Fund include the rollout of digital equipment across 13 City of Edinburgh Council’s Sheltered Housing complexes.
The devices will be for the use of sheltered housing tenants and others in the area who might attend activities in the community rooms.
The move aims to empower tenants to interact with the council and other services online, promote social inclusion, provide tenants with the tools, knowledge and advice to support them should they consider buying their own devices, and build their confidence in becoming digitally connected.
As a direct response to the Coronavirus pandemic, Utilita – the only energy company created to help households use less energy – introduced measures to reassure and promote a ‘worry-free’ experience for all customers, especially those experiencing hardship or vulnerability.
In 2020 alone, Utilita issued £8.5m in account credits at zero interest for customers facing financial difficulty through its ‘Power Up’ feature in the My Utilita app, or via a customer call. Utilita’s dedicated Extra Care Team has also called every customer aged 80 and over to advise them on all the ways to top-up and stay on supply.
Central to helping people save money is the Utilita Energy High 5 movement, which enables every household to use around £163 less energy each year by making five free and easy-to-follow changes at home.
More than two million households have engaged with the movement so far – every household can benefit – not just Utilita customers, to start saving today.
Utilita, the UK’s leading Smart Pay As You Go Energy supplier, is running ‘The Utilita Energy Hub-to-Hub Challenge’ in Leith to support South Leith Parish Foodbank whose vital fundraising and community-building activities have been curbed by the coronavirus crisis.
The charity fundraiser kicked off on 18th May and includes a team from the Leith Energy Hub either walking, running, cycling or skipping the equivalent distance from the Utilita Hub in Newport in the Isle of Wight to the Hub in Leith – totalling a whopping 516 miles.
They are clocking up the miles by making the most out of outdoor spaces, such as doing laps in their local park until they reach the 516-mile milestone.
To promote positive physical and mental health during the lockdown, members of the Utilita Energy Hub team are also recording their weekly body mass index, to demonstrate the health benefits of the challenge.
Debra Clason, Utilita Hub Manager in Leith, said: “The Utilita Energy Hubs exist to give local communities a place to go to talk about reducing their energy usage, as well as providing a space free of charge where local community groups and good causes can host their own activities, so we wanted to fill that current void with something equally as community-centred, whilst keeping the staff active to promote positive physical and mental wellbeing.
“Each Energy Hub has chosen a local charity or support group to raise money for, reflecting Utilita’s ethos of engaging with and supporting local communities.
“The team in Leith chose to fundraise for the South Leith Parish Foodbank because on a daily basis, we see people access the service, some of whom are also our customers. It’s a sobering thought to think there is an increasing need for reliance on food banks in the UK, with many families just one pay cheque away from becoming homeless.
“The energetic Hub team will happily put in the leg work and would be grateful for your donations via a dedicated JustGiving page to help them on their way.”
Rev Iain May, Chair of the South Leith Parish Church Food Bank, said: “The support from Utilita is really appreciated. In Leith, there are over 6,000 people, including over 1,500 children, who live on or below the poverty line.
“The efforts of the team from Utilita will make such a difference in allowing us to provide essential food to those in need in these challenging and difficult times.
“The support of the local business community here in Leith has been amazing, and Utilita has been in many ways at the forefront of this recently. So thanks again for all many miles, running, cycling, skipping that Utilita staff are doing, it will really make a difference.”
The Utilita Hub teams have been busy taking part in the challenge across the UK, clocking up more miles each day – please see an infographic providing an update on how far they have travelled below.
