Gas prices could ROCKET again if Russia invades Ukraine

FAMILY could face huge gas prices again this year if Russia invades Ukraine – but there are ways to lower your bill.
Evidence of the Russian army has appeared concentrated near the border of Ukraine when stress escalates – but it can affect how much you’re paying on your bills.
Ministers have been warned that households could face rising gas and petrol prices if an invasion occurs, according to Daily mail.
This is because Russia may decide to limit the flow of natural gas to Europe if the situation escalates, with important pipelines passing through Ukraine from the country.
Europe gets 35% of its natural gas supplies from Russia, according to reports, but a government spokesman says Time that the UK is “totally dependent” on Russian gas supplies, with less than 3% of gas originating from Russia in 2020.
But concerns have been raised that shortages could occur if tensions develop that could drive up prices.
The UK is one of Europe’s biggest natural gas users – 85% of our homes use gas central heating, and gas is also used to generate a third of our electricity.
There are a number of things you can do NOW to avoid any potential upside – we explain.
What can I do now?
There are several things you can do now to reduce your gas bill.
Here are three tips to make sure you don’t pay more than you need to.
Cut down on usage
You should first see if you can cut your usage right now before any possible price spike.
Instead of heating your entire home, try and heat only the rooms you’re using to cut costs.
The Sun spoke to savvy saver Scott Dixon, who saves £490 a year just by putting the heating on a room in his apartment.
The thermostatically stabilized radiator valve will allow you to control the temperature of each radiator, so you can reduce heat in rooms you don’t use.
Also, just turning the thermostat down one degree can help save up to £55 a year.
If you feel a little chilly, take your jacket instead.
Check benefits
You may be eligible for hundreds of extra pounds in help with your energy bills.
For example, a warm home discount means you could pay £140 towards your heating costs.
You are eligible for help if you get the guaranteed credit element of retirement credit or if you have a low income – check here to see if you can claim.
You can get £25 a week to help pay your energy bills in the winter under the cold weather billing scheme.
Payments are made when the average recorded or forecast temperature is 0 degrees or below, for seven consecutive days.
You can get our help where you claim certain benefits including General Credit and meet certain criteria – You can find more here.
Talk to your local council
Your council can give you free cash to cover your energy bills if you are struggling.
The councils were awarded a total of £500 million to give to the hardline British under their command Household Support Fund.
Some councils are offering hundreds of pounds of help with your utility bills – but the help you can get varies depending on where you live.
Use gov.uk board search engine to see who your local government is to ask for more information about the program.
You can also get cash to pay your bills according to your local regulator Welfare Support Program.
Some councils are offering up to £1,000 in free cash to families in need – you can use this to put towards your bills.
But what you get will vary depending on who your local council is – and some don’t even have a plan available.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/17419389/gas-prices-rocket-again-russia-invades-ukraine/ Gas prices could ROCKET again if Russia invades Ukraine