York residents have until Wednesday (1 May) to potentially save hundreds of pounds on their gas and electricity bills.

Through the region’s largest ever mass energy switch, residents could save around £115 a year through signing up to the free scheme, which could lower prices and reduce their overall energy costs.

Leeds-based Community Energy Direct is working across six local authority districts, including York , to deliver real energy bill reductions.

“So far more than 4,000 people have joined our free sign-up”, said Community Energy Direct director Hugh Goulbourne.

“We’re finding that people are suspicious of the energy sector but we are an independent organisation, a community co-operative, supported by the Department of Energy and Climate Change and City of York Council , and have no connections with any energy supplier. Our objective is to encourage people to get the best possible deal on energy costs – especially those who have never switched or who are on fixed incomes”, he said.

To register, all people have to do is visit the Community Energy Direct website http://www.communityenergy.info/ or call them on 0845 4502581 to register for free and without obligation.

When the scheme closes on 1 May the details of everyone who has registered will be passed to Which? – a UK consumer watchdog. They will then spend around four weeks sourcing the best deals from energy suppliers, passing the details back to everyone who has joined. Individuals will then have two weeks to decide whether to make the switch or to stay with their current arrangements.

For more details please contact 0845 4502581 or visit http://www.communityenergy.info/