A TOWN councillor has spoken out about fuel poverty at a time more and more people are spending days at home, following government advice to stay indoors and help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Darlington's Northgate councillor Eleanor Lister believes fuel poverty is something "no body is looking at" while services focus on hunger following schools closures.

She said: "It just occurred to me that, when I was recently cold, I can just turn the heating on.

"But how many other people can not do that in this awful time that we are in?"

Darlington Council said it's "linking up" with Darlington Citizens Advice Bureau, which already delivers a crisis support service, including fuel top ups. However, it is not yet clear how this will work with social distancing.

Cllr Jonathan Dulston, cabinet member for stronger communities, said: "A new hub which launched recently also looks to use volunteers for various tasks including helping top up people’s gas or electric meter keys if they are self-isolating.

“Nationally there's also been agreement between the utility companies and the government that no homes will be cut off during the pandemic.”

But concerns of fuel anxiety surround all types of households, not just the vulnerable, who may be working from home and looking after children all day, meaning a spike in energy use.

Laura McGadie, head of consumer advice at Energy Saving Trust, an organisation that promotes energy efficiency and conservation, said: “As more and more of us are now working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, saving both energy and money over this period is an continues to be important issue."

Energy Saving Trust said there are many small changes people can make to improve energy efficiency, from changing lightbulbs, switching providers, turning down the thermostat, turning off electrical appliances when not in use and to only using the right amount of water in the kettle.

Echoing this is Darlington's Green Doctor Matthew Eves.

The Green Doctor Scheme is run by charity Groundwork, which works to transform disadvantaged communities, in partnership with Darlington Council.

It advises residents on the best energy tariffs and how to be more energy efficient, however has since been put on hold due to the virus.

Mr Eves offered adjustments based on electricity, behavioural and heating factors, including keeping curtains open in the daytime to maximise free light and heat from the sun, opening windows instead of relying on an extractor fan, cooking food with a microwave and not letting "vampire energy" drain finances - meaning turn devices off at the wall when not being used.

Here is the full list:

  • Keep curtains open in the daytime to maximise direct light entering the house, bringing free light and heat from the sun.
  • Open windows instead of relying on an extractor fan – no electricity used, no cost.
  • Turn off lights in a room when you leave it.
  • Don't let vampire energy drain your wallet - turn devices and chargers off at the wall when not being used.
  • Only boil as much water as you need – i.e. don’t boil a kettle full of water for one cup of tea.
  • Put lids on pots and pans to reduce cooking times and amount of energy needed to cook.
  • Use microwaves to cook food – they use only 20 per cent of the energy required to run a full size oven.
  • Avoid blocking radiators with furniture, leaving a gap will allow convection currents to flow around the room as the hot air will be felt across the room quicker.
  • If there are rooms that you rarely use, turn valves on the radiators in them down, though don't close them completely to avoid damp.
  • Don’t position the thermostat near the front door, keep it in the room you spend the most time – any cold air entering the home will manipulate the temperature being recorded near the thermostat, forcing the boiler to fire up unnecessarily.