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Understanding your Electrical Appliance Usage

Supported e-learning

This course equips frontline advisers with the skills to deliver consistent, accurate energy advice tailored to customers’ needs. Using hands‑on appliance testing from National Energy Action’s Innovation and Technical Evaluation team, we reveal how everyday appliances truly consume electricity and what that means for households.

** NEW COURSE **

Knowledge of how essential appliances use electricity is critical for householders in terms of saving money and energy. This e-learning course offers more than the simplistic formula based on the rated power of the appliance. It explores how everyday appliances actually use electricity, shining a light on real consumption patterns through hands-on testing carried out by National Energy Action’s Innovation and Technical Evaluation team.

You’ll learn how different appliances, from fridges and freezers to cookers, washing machines, dryers, and dishwashers, affect household bills, and discover practical tips to help people reduce their usage without compromising comfort.

Course audience

This course is relevant for any frontline staff who provide advice and support to members of the public, in particular, those on low incomes.

Course aim

To empower frontline advisers to provide energy-related advice and guidance that is consistent and accurate and which aims to meet customers’ needs.

Course objectives
  • Outline the ‘traditional’ formula used to calculate an appliance’s electricity consumption.
  • Interpret and analyse evaluation data carried out by National Energy Action’s Innovation and Technical Evaluation team, to understand and compare how much energy is typically used by cooking, washing, cooling, drying and dishwashing appliances.
  • Recommend practical tips to improve appliance performance and reduce electricity use.

Please note that the course content will focus mainly on England and Wales. If you are based in Northern Ireland or Scotland and interested in this course, please contact lynsey.thompson@nea.org.uk before booking so we can discuss the main differences.

Delivery method

E-Learning

How will the e-learning work

E-learning is self led giving learners the flexibility to study as and when they wish.

Once registered, learners will have access to the course for four weeks and be able to study online at a time and location that is convenient to them.

A handout booklet covering the relevant topics will also be available to download and keep.

Tutor support

Tutor support will be available upon request. This is usually done via telephone / video call.

Suggested study time

This course will take approximately two hours to complete however, each learner is different, and e-learning offers the flexibility to study at your own pace. Learners will have access to the course for four weeks from their selected start date.

Fees

INDIVIDUAL PLACES

*FUNDED PLACES are available until 31 March 2026 to non-commercial organisations based in England and Wales (such as local authorities, housing associations, advice agencies etc). Learners must also be frontline staff or volunteers that encounter and provide advice to those in or at risk of fuel poverty. This applies to webinar and e-learning only.

For those not eligible for a funded place, fees are as follows:

NEA MembersNon-Members
NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANISATIONS£65 + VAT£75 + VAT
COMMERCIAL ORGANISATIONS£80 + VAT£90 + VAT
PLEASE NOTE that the NEA members’ discount only applies to ‘enhanced’ membership as outlined in the membership documentation.

GROUP / ORGANISATION BOOKINGS

We also offer ‘organisational licences’ to organisations that have a large number of staff to train. This will provide access for six months or 12 months for an unlimited number of learners.

This type of licence will provide a tailored version of the course specifically for the organisation.

Included within the licence fee are two tailored slides to add information that is specific to your organisation. This may be information on local schemes, contact details etc. Additional tailored slides can be purchased upon request.

The organisation can appoint an admin person who will be able to access reports on learner activity.

Please note that the organisation licence option is not funded, for further details, costs and terms please contact trainingadmin@nea.org.uk

Further details contact

trainingadmin@nea.org.uk

BOOKING FORM

E-LEARNING BOOKING FORM – Understanding your Electrical Appliance Usage


  • TO BOOK A PLACE ON THIS E-LEARNING MODULE, PLEASE COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING FIELDS.

    PLEASE NOTE: Once you complete the booking form and select submit you should see a confirmation note on screen. If not and instead you return back to the top of the booking form, your booking is not complete. Please check that all relevant fields are complete (all fields marked with a * are mandatory) and your e-mail address is correct then submit again.

  • 1) PROPOSED START DATE

  • PLEASE NOTE – this course is self-led so there are no set dates to attend (this is just an indication of when you would like your learning to begin. It can take up to 5 working days for login details to be sent).
    DD slash MM slash YYYY

  • 2) BOOKING CONTACT

  • 3) LEARNER DETAILS

  • Click ‘+’ to add additional names.

    Location details are requested to help us monitor the reach of learning across the country. Personal details will not be shared with others.
    NameE-mailCountyPostcode 

  • 4) FEES / FUNDED PLACE

  • As indicated in the course outline, funded places are available until the end of March 2026 to non-commercial/ not for profit organisations in England and Wales (such as local authorities, housing associations, advice agencies etc). Learners must also be frontline staff or volunteers that encounter and provide advice to clients in or at risk of fuel poverty (essentially those on a low income/ in a vulnerable situation and who are struggling to manage their household energy needs). Standard fees for learners that do not meet the above criteria are outlined below.
  • If you have been given a code or reference for your funded place, please add details below to help us link your place to the correct project. If you haven’t been given a code, please leave this field blank.

  • IMPORTANT NOTE: NEA relies on funding from external sources to enable us to offer free training activities. In order to fulfil our commitments to funders we need to ensure that learning takes place on time and that we meet the required minimum number of learners. Failure to do this may impact on future funding.

    If you receive a funded place and no longer wish to complete the course please inform NEA as soon as possible so that your place can be reallocated.


  • 5) INVOICE DETAILS (if required)

    The details provided in this section will be used to issue an invoice. Please provide the relevant finance / accounts payable contact details and if needed, a purchase order number to ensure prompt payment. If you are applying for a funded place, you do not need to complete this section.

  • 6) TERMS & CONDITIONS

    1. Once in receipt of this completed booking form, NEA shall aim to provide the learner with login details to access the e-learning within 5 working days.
    2. The learner must not disclose their login details to others.
    3. The learner will have access to the course for four weeks.
    4. The e-learning is copyright protected and must not be printed or copied.
    5. Cancellations:
      ~ Non funded places – any cancellations received after login details are sent will still be charged at the full rate as outlined above.
      ~ Funded places – cancellation charges do not apply but if you are unable to complete the course please inform NEA as soon as possible so that your place can be reallocated. Please note that while the place is free of charge to the learner there is a cost implication to NEA to deliver the webinar and failure to inform us that you are unable to attend prevents us from being able to re-allocate the place and can have knock on implications to future funding. Regular cancellations or non-completion may result in future bookings being blocked.

      6. Notice of cancellation must be confirmed in an email.

      These conditions will not apply if the course is postponed or cancelled by NEA.

  • 7) DATA PROTECTION

  • We collect and use your personal information to manage your booking and provide the services you’ve requested. To help us deliver the best possible support, we may share your information within our organisation. Your data will be handled securely and only accessed by authorised staff. We will never share your details with external third parties unless required by law. By submitting this form, you agree to the use of your data in line with current data protection legislation.

    Our full privacy policy can be viewed at the following link – https://www.nea.org.uk/privacy-policy/

  • From time-to-time NEA may also send details of further projects / training events including free courses. Would you like to be included in these mailings?

  • 8) CONFIRMATION

  • If you have read and agreed to the above information please select the submit button below to complete your booking.

    PLEASE NOTE BEFORE SUBMITTING: If you return to the top of the course outline once you select submit, your booking is NOT complete and the form has not submitted properly. Please check that all relevant fields are complete (all fields marked with a * are mandatory) then submit again.

    Once submitted, a confirmation note should appear on screen and you should receive a confirmation e-mail.

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