THE deadline to sign up for a scheme that promises to save money on your energy bills is fast approaching.

Since 2013 Gloucestershire County Council has been participating in the The Big Community Switch bulk buying scheme to help people get cheaper gas and electricity by working together.

And the final deadline to sign up to it is May 18.

Mark Hawthorne, leader of Gloucestershire County Council, said: "Often the best way to save money on your energy bills is to switch supplier. We know the process of switching can sometimes put people off so we’ve supported this scheme so that all you need is a recent energy bill and the Big Community Switch will do the rest of the work and hopefully get you a better deal."

In the last auction held on February 3, average savings for people who registered through the county council were around £250 a year which was just ahead of the national figure of £236.

The more households that register their interest in switching, the more attractive it becomes for an energy supplier to offer a competitive price and the more likely consumers are to achieve significant savings.

To take advantage of this opportunity people can register online at www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/bigcommunityswitch or call the county council on 01452 42 57 57 between 8.30am and 5pm from Monday to Friday.

There is no obligation to switch supplier and only basic information needs to be given at this stage such as name, address, contact details, an indication of how much energy used and whether the applicant wishes to consider switching for both gas and electricity, or electricity only.

Having a recent bill to hand will make registering easier and more accurate.

Residents who register their interest by the closing date on Monday 18th May will receive a personalised energy offer during late May or early June.