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Here you can find out all the information you need to know about the UK business gas industry and the companies operating within it.If you are thinking of switching suppliers, or just require information on a provider, please visit our supplier pages to see a collection of contact details, tariff guides and general information about the companies.Gas is usually a safe and easy way to heat your house but it can also be potentially dangerous if a leak occurs or an appliance is faulty. Read our tips to help you keep safe using gas at home.

Top Uses Of Natural Gas

Natural Gas Has Gone Through a Series Of Changes, As People Have To Come To Realize Its Benefits And Top Uses. Among The Top...

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SSE

SSE to “put their money where their mouth is”

With energy costs soaring, no one welcomes the arrival on the doormat of their gas or electricity bill. However, worse still, is when there...
Vulnerable

Vulnerable people urged to know their entitlements

With many of us waking up to snow this morning and more of the white stuff forecast to fall later in the week, the...
Natural Gas

Top Uses Of Natural Gas

Natural Gas Has Gone Through a Series Of Changes, As People Have To Come To Realize Its Benefits And Top Uses. Among The Top...

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Vulnerable

Vulnerable people urged to know their entitlements

With many of us waking up to snow this morning and more of the white stuff forecast to fall later in the week, the...
Gas

British Gas profits have plummeted significantly since 2012

British Gas has seen a massive decrease in its profits over 2013 due to customers taking their business elsewhere. In an attempt to avoid...
Public

Public want changes to winter fuel payments

The winter fuel payment can be a lifeline to those struggling to pay the ever-increasing cost of heating their homes, but it has long...
Gas

The Best Ways To Help You Save Up On Natural Gas

The Efficient Utilization Of Natural Gas Tends To Bring Out Benefits In So Many Ways. By Adding a Few Changes To Your Daily Routine,...
Natural Gas

Top Uses Of Natural Gas

Natural Gas Has Gone Through a Series Of Changes, As People Have To Come To Realize Its Benefits And Top Uses. Among The Top...

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Public want changes to winter fuel payments

The winter fuel payment can be a lifeline to those struggling to pay the ever-increasing cost of heating their homes, but it has long...

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Public want changes to winter fuel payments

Public
The winter fuel payment can be a lifeline to those struggling to pay the ever-increasing cost of heating their homes, but it has long been a subject of debate.Would the government’s money be better spent if it were targeted more accurately at those in real need? Currently, as long as you were born before 5 July 1951 (or if you are in receipt of certain benefits) you are eligible for a tax-free lump sum payment of between £100 and £300. It is not paid to prisoners, long-term hospital patients or care home residents, but it doesn’t matter whether you are rich or poor as there is no means testing for the payment. Somewhat bizarrely, you do not even need to be resident in the UK to be eligible. Now “celebrity” pensioners such as Joanna Lumley, Esther Rantzen and David Jason have started a campaign which would mean that those who are not in financial need of the payment can hand the payment back easily.A survey carried out recently by uSwitch.com highlighted the fact that the majority of us would like to see changes made to the current system.

The following areas were on the “wish list” of those who took part in the research:

82% thought the payment should be made only to those actually living in the UK 66% would like the possibility of opting out of the payment (not currently possible) 60% thought the payment should be made to those with disabilities (with 58% thinking general health should be taken into account too) 55% felt that the amount paid should take account of inflation 52% would like low-income households to be eligible regardless of age 49% thought the allowance should be means tested 23% would like the unemployed to receive the payment

Vulnerable people urged to know their entitlements

Vulnerable
With many of us waking up to snow this morning and more of the white stuff forecast to fall later in the week, the vulnerable are being urged by the Government to check that they are taking full advantage of all that they are entitled to. This help ranges from discounted energy bills to help with insulating their homes.Householders have just under a week to apply through the Warm Front initiative for help in heating or insulating their homes. Applications should be with Carillion, the administrators of the scheme, by Jan 19th. Funding up to £3,500 is available for assistance in insulating things like hot water tanks and lofts, having cavity wall insulation fitted, or draught proofing your home, while a grant of up to £6,000 can be awarded to replace your heating system with an oil or alternative energy system. For full details see the Warm Front website.Some of the most vulnerable pensioners are also entitled to energy bill discounts of £130. Over a million pensioners have already received the discount whilst further pensioners still have to provide further information for a decision on eligibility to be made. This discount has no bearing on the two payments made automatically to pensioners: the winter fuel payment and the cold weather payment. Further information on the Warm Home discount scheme is available on the website.It is worth remembering that even if you do not qualify for the discount scheme, many providers have their own discounts, details of which are shown on the individual companies’ websites.

SSE to “put their money where their mouth is”

SSE
With energy costs soaring, no one welcomes the arrival on the doormat of their gas or electricity bill. However, worse still, is when there is something wrong with the bill and you know that you have to embark on the tortuous journey of querying it.How many times have you phoned your energy supplier and been passed from pillar to post before finding the right person to speak to, and how often do suppliers promise to phone you back and never do? Now, for the lucky customers who use Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE), this could be a thing of the past. The energy company is taking customer satisfaction seriously and is promising to pay £20 each time they fail to deliver on five main areas of customer care.

They undertake:

not to transfer you more than once without your agreement to call you back as promised to pass you to a manager if that is what you want to offer support with your bill if required to help save you money There is no limit to the number of times customers can claim the £20, although it must be claimed within ten days of the failure in service. The money will appear as a credit on the customer’s next bill and if you use prepayment cards the sum will be shown next time you top up. Alistair Phillips-Davies of SSE has acknowledged that customer care in the past has been less than good but says that the company’s new charter and guarantee shows that SSE wants to be “more than the best of a bad bunch”. He hopes that the message will be heard by the whole of the industry that it is time to “transform for the better what customers experience”.

60% of us distrust our suppliers

suppliers
Scottish Southern Energy (SSE) have recently decided to put their money where their mouth is in regards to customer service and are paying consumers £20 per service failure. This news is extremely timely. A survey, carried out by uSwitch, has revealed that 60% of us now actively distrust our energy suppliers. The biggest customer gripe is that we do not feel we are getting value for money (48% of respondents). 33% of us are irked by the fact that suppliers do nothing to help us reduce our bills. Although consumers can of course vote with their feet and switch supplier, it seems that many of us just don’t have the time or inclination to do this and would like advice from our current supplier on how to save energy. Communication is another key area for consumer concern, with 37% of us feeling that there is a distinct lack of openness in the relationship between energy giants and their customers. With gas and electricity bills becoming increasingly difficult to understand, it is no surprise that a quarter of us cite this as a major irritation. Then, of course, there is the thorny problem of being able to speak to the right person when we phone our supplier with a query. 12% of us said that energy companies make it hard for the consumer to communicate with them. Conversely the 40% of respondents who turned out to be happy with their supplier cited easy-to-understand bills and other information, good customer service, ability to communicate and a helpful attitude as being major factors in their satisfaction. Ann Robinson of uSwitch advises consumers to shop around. With potential savings of £250 to be made, the power is in the hands of the customer. She also advises consumers to let the energy suppliers know that they are not satisfied with the progress being made in the area of customer service.

British Gas profits have plummeted significantly since 2012

Gas
British Gas has seen a massive decrease in its profits over 2013 due to customers taking their business elsewhere. In an attempt to avoid rising energy prices, many homeowners have switched to smaller companies, leaving the largest energy providers, such as British Gas, out of pocket. British Gas, the UK’s largest energy supplier lost around £30 million in profit in 2013, compared to 2012: a 4.1% drop. This is due to nearly 350,000 customers switching in recent months from the six biggest energy suppliers such as British Gas, to smaller companies that offer lower prices and better service. This comes as no shock considering British Gas had recently increased its average energy bill by 9.2%. With a free market, larger companies that have the monopoly also have freedom to increase their prices radically. However, this appears to have had a detrimental effect on profit towards the end of 2013. The massive loss of profits for British Gas has had a significant impact on their share prices, especially since Centrica, the parent company of British Gas, issued profit warnings at the end of 2013. Knowing they wouldn’t meet their profit targets, Centrica warned shareholders in advance in order to avoid a major backlash. Admitting that they had fought the rising costs of energy by absorbing the costs themselves throughout 2013, British Gas were left with no other choice but to drastically increase their household gas and electricity prices in order to appease shareholders. However, with this unforeseen move to placate shareholders, Centrica has let down many of their loyal customers, forcing them to explore alternatives. This, inevitably, has led to thousands of customers switching from British Gas at the end of 2013, causing a direct hit on overall profit. Due to the drastic rise in energy costs, politicians have stepped in to address the issue, with Ed Miliband, Labour Party Leader, promising a price freeze on energy, if Labour win the next election. Shadow Energy Secretary, Caroline Flint, has also expressed concern, stating: “We will break up the big companies, put an end to their secret deals and make tariffs simpler.” However, despite the political promises to curb the monopoly on the energy free-market, concerns still abound for Centrica and British Gas, who are now acutely aware that price hikes and political intervention lead to loss of investor confidence and loss of shareholders. Despite the worry of political involvement, Sam Laidlaw, Chief Executive of Centrica has released a statement saying: “Energy suppliers and politicians both have a role to play in helping to minimise the impact of higher costs on bills and improving transparency to restore trust in the industry.”

All That You Need To Know About Preventing Natural Gas Explosions

Natural Gas Explosions
Tragedies And Other Such Adverse Events Tend To Leave Behind Its Effects, As We Try To Look For Answers. The Many Explosions That Take Place In This Regard Are One Among The Few Examples Of Tragedies. But That Should Never Prevent Us From Taking Precautionary Steps Because Being Cautious About It Can Help Us Prevent Such Incidents From Happening. For This Purpose, One Should Be Aware Of The Things That Need To Be Done And Also About Specific Pieces Of Information. So If You Wish To Gain More Knowledge On This Front, Go Ahead And Read It All Out.

1. Natural Gas Detectors

The Best Way To Be Prepared Is To Install Natural Gas Detectors Both In Your Home As Well As The Workplace. By Doing So, One Will Be Aware Of The Current Situation And Will Also Be On Alert In Case Something Happens Out Of The Blue. These Detectors Should Be Placed In Such a Way That The Alarm Is Audible To Everyone, As They Can Be Pushed Forward To Take Action. Hence, Install Gas Detectors Wherever Possible And Encourage People To Do The Same. Natural Gas Apart From Installing Them, You Also Need To Maintain And Monitor The Equipment Regularly. By Doing So, You Will Be Aware Of Its Current Status And Insert Changes In Case The Batteries Are Not Working. But To Gain a Better Understanding Of It, One Needs To Bring a Professional Who Will Be Able To Provide a Better Idea Of The Situation.

2. Combustible Materials

Placement Of Combustible Materials Is Quite Essential, And They Need To Be Kept Away From Water Heaters, Gas Appliances, Furnaces And So On. But If They Are Kept Near These Appliances, Then It Promotes The Chance Of Witnessing a Fire, Something That You Don’t Require. So By All Means, You Should Draft Out a Plan About The Location Of Devices And Where They Need To Be Placed. By Doing So, You Will Be Able To Evaluate Every One Of Them And Can Also Proceed To Make Matters Smooth.

3. Essential Activities

Essential During The Unfortunate Incident Of a Fire Or Natural Gas Detection, There Are a Few Essential Activities That You Need To Perform. First, You Need To Leave The Building And If Possible, Extinguish Any Open Flames On Your Way Out. Later You Need To Call 911 And Inform Them About Everything. Re-Entering The Building Before Inspection Should Be Avoided Because It Is Not Safe To Do So. If You Are Capable Of Turning The Lights Off And Unplugging Electrical Appliances, Then Such Activities Need To Be Performed On Your Way Out And Not After. Once The Gas Company Has Deemed Everything To Be Safe, You Can Proceed To Enter The Building.

Top Uses Of Natural Gas

Natural Gas
Natural Gas Has Gone Through a Series Of Changes, As People Have To Come To Realize Its Benefits And Top Uses. Among The Top Uses, There Are a Few Who Have Turned Out To Be Critical. Apart From Affecting The Day To Day Activities Of Our Lives, Natural Gas Has Also Entered Industries And Made Matters All The More Interesting. Due To That, It Is Vital That We Learn About Them And Analyze Their Importance. By Looking Into Its Uses, We Will Get a Clear Idea About Natural Gas And Also About Different Ways To Save It. Hence, Without Further Ado, Here Are The Top Uses Of Natural Gas.

1. Household Activities

Household Activities One Of The Primary Uses For Natural Gas Tends To Revolve Around a Household As We End Up Utilizing The Same For Our Day To Day Activities. The Electric Power Sector Uses Natural Gas To Generate Electricity, Making Them The Largest Consumer Of The Same. Apart From That, The Residential Sector Tends To Utilize Natural Gas To Heat Water, Cook Meals And Other Essential Purposes. To Sum Things Up, You Need To Know That Anything That Involves Heat Also Involves Natural Gas. Due To That, The Process Of Saving It Also Becomes Important.

2. The Process Of Transportation

Natural Gas Is Also a Fuel For Vehicles As These Gas Liquids Have Proven To Have a Significant Advantage In Vehicles. When You Compare The Same With Standard Gasoline And Diesel, The Advantage Remains Intact, And Thus, The Transportation Sector Is Another Part Of The Industry That Uses Natural Gas. Vehicles That Use Natural Gas Emit Around 60-90% Less Smog-Producing Pollutants, Which Accounts For 30-40% Reduction In Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Due To That, Natural Gas Is Indeed Beneficial And Provides a Helping Hand For Essentials. Considering The Impact Of Climate Change, We Must Look Into Safer Alternatives That Carry Forward The Process With Ease.

3. The Industrial Sector

Industrial Sector When You Move Away From Residents And Transportation, You Tend To Come Towards The Industrial Sector That Is Also Known To Use Natural Gas To a Large Extent. By Utilizing The Same As a Fuel, Industries Move Ahead With The Process Of Heating, The Raw Material Production Of Chemicals, Hydrogen, Fertilizers And So On. Thanks To The Element Of Diversity, Natural Gas Has Managed To Top Their List By Providing a Bunch Of Benefits. Due To That, Natural Gas Extends Its Uses For Other Industrial Needs, Including Methanol, Ethane, Propane, Fabrics, Pharmaceuticals, Antifreeze And So On. As a Leading Source, Natural Gas Has Bestowed Us With Immense Opportunities That Are Too Advantageous To Ignore. Due To That, We Must Understand What It Stands For And Move Ahead To Utilize It As Much As Possible.  

The Best Ways To Help You Save Up On Natural Gas

Gas
The Efficient Utilization Of Natural Gas Tends To Bring Out Benefits In So Many Ways. By Adding a Few Changes To Your Daily Routine, You Can Go About Saving Natural Gas, Whose Outcome Will Always Be Essential. Considering The Fact That Natural Gas Is a Small Contributor To The Harmful Effects On The Environment, Saving It Makes Sense And Puts Out a Small Step In The Fight Against Climate Change. For That Very Purpose, One Needs To Know About The Different Methods To Do So. Hence, Go Ahead And Read About Everything That You Ought To Know.

1. Heating System

One Of The Best Ways To Begin This Process Would Be To Start With Your Heating System. Getting It Checked Regularly And Following a Strict Maintenance Process Will Be Beneficial To Promote Efficiency. Due To That, You Need To Bring In a Qualified Professional Who Can Inform You About The Current Status Of Your System. Based On His/Her Analysis, You Can Proceed To Take The Right Steps That Are Needed At The Moment.

2. Water Heater

Turning Down Your Water Heater And Keeping It At 120℉ Is Another Way Through Which You Carry Forward This Process Of Conservation. At This Temperature, Water Will Be Warm And Thus, Ideal For Everyday Use. All Your Household Needs Can Be Met With The Same, And You Will Leave a Mark When It Comes To Savings. Since Every 10℉ Reduction Can Save Up To 5% In Water Heating Costs, You Should Consider This By All Means. Moreover, Temperatures Above This Limit Will Not Be Ideal Nor Required To Furnish The Essential Activities Of Life.

3. Programmable Thermostat

A Programmable Thermostat Enhances The Overall Process To Save Energy And Push Your Bills In The Right Direction. They Automatically Turn Down The Heat In Your Home And Can Ideally Save Up To $100 Per Year. Due To That, Your Heating Costs Will Significantly Reduce, And You Will Be More Than Glad About The Same. So Move Ahead And Learn More About Programmable Thermostats And Their Function. Once You Understand All About It, Proceed To Purchase One For Your House. Thermostat

4. Cooking And Bathing

All Your Activities, Like Cooking And Bathing, Can Also Be Curtailed To a Large Extent. Taking Shorter Showers And Washing Up Full Loads In The Dishwasher Are Two Ways Through Which You Can Initiate This Process. Apart From That, You Can Also Save Up On Natural Gas By Including Simple Things Like a Smaller Pan For Cooking, Placing a Lid Over The Food, So It Cooks Faster, Using a Microwave And So On. When You Begin To Implement Such Practises, Your Bill Will Start To Reflect Lower Costs.