http://pokhknot.edublogs.org/2013/03/15/are-you-ready-to-switch-and-save-money/ <br /><br />Are you worried in Cleethorpes about the impact the current cold snap is having on your home heating bills? It could be time to get Ready to Switch. <br />North East Lincolnshire Council has joined Ready to Switch – a free scheme that could help thousands of people cut their gas and electricity bills. <br />As many people as possible are now needed to sign up at www.nelincs.gov.uk/readytoswitch before Monday 8 April 2013 and use their joint buying power to help drive down their home energy costs. <br />NELC has teamed up with more than 12 other councils across the country to make it easier for people to switch energy providers. <br /><br />All you need to do is visit www.nelincs.gov.uk/readytoswitch and provide your contact details, the name of your supplier and details of your current energy usage and tariff. <br />If you don't have access to the internet, you could ask a friend or family member to register you (up to five separate addresses can be registered with the same email). <br />Staff at your local library, Customer Access Point and Children's Centre can also help if you don't have internet access – but remember to bring a copy of a recent gas and electricity bill with you. <br />In other parts of the country people have saved between £60 and £200 a year on their bills and the more people that sign up, the bigger the potential savings. <br />This is one of the largest schemes of its kind in the UK and by teaming up with other councils, NELC is helping to create a massive pool of potential customers that energy companies bid against to supply. <br />The councils are working with a specialist company called iChoosr who will negotiate with the energy companies on behalf of everyone signed up to the scheme to get the best tariff possible. <br />Over 420,000 participants have already switched suppliers thanks to iChoosr's collective switching schemes in three different countries. <br />Registration for the scheme will stay open until Monday 8 April 2013. <br />Energy suppliers are then invited to bid in a reverse auction to provide power to everyone who has signed up – estimated to be 21,000 people nationwide. <br />The auction will take place on 9 April and the results announced from 15 April. Offers are then sent either as an email or a letter and those who registered will have about three weeks to decide whether or not to accept the deal.
