Hertsmere has become one of the first councils in the UK to partner with the Energy Saving Trust to provide an energy efficiency app to residents and help them make energy savings.
The free Hertfordshire Energy Advice Tool (HEAT) app gives a virtual tour around a typical home, asking questions and giving advice along the way.
Based on the answers provided, quick, easy, low or no-cost actions are suggested to help householders save money on their energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint too.
The average saving from using the HEAT app is estimated to be £70 a year.
Seamus Quilty, the Conservative member in charge of the environment at Hertsmere Borough Council, said: "Fuel poverty is a real concern for many families and with fuel price rises around the corner, we know that this will make heating homes increasingly difficult for some families in Hertsmere.
"We hope this app can help people make practical changes and it supports other initiatives we are running, such as the Green Homes Grant scheme, which is funding improvements to homes for people on low incomes and living in poorly insulated properties."
The app can be downloaded on both Google Play and the Apple store.
Hertsmere Labour group leader Jeremy Newmark said he "welcomed" the app but said it is a "sticking plaster that ignores the real problem".
He added: "The average household energy bill in Hertsmere will rise by hundreds of pounds in April. In the face of this cost-of-living crisis, we need an urgent VAT cut on domestic energy bills – just like the Prime Minister promised before Brexit but has failed to deliver.
"Hertsmere’s app will help but neither clever apps nor broken promises pay the bills."
Boris Johnson was quizzed on the cost of living during a visit to a vaccination clinic in Uxbridge today.
When asked if he would be talking with the Chancellor this week about how to help people pay energy bills, Mr Johnson replied: "I’ve been meeting the Chancellor constantly, (I) met the Chancellor last night to talk about it.
"I understand how difficult it is for people, I understand the pressures that people are facing on household finances. And, you know, this is the result of global price spikes as a result of the economy coming back from Covid."
He added: "But, you know, it’s making life very tough and we’ve got to make sure that people are aware of all the things that they can do, all the money that we’re putting in via local councils to help people in hardship, the cold weather payments, the Warm Home discount, the money for pensioners.
"Altogether – the package altogether – to support people, but particularly to support the energy, the cost of heating, is about £4.2 billion. But, you know, I understand how difficult it is. And we’re certainly looking at what we can do."
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