Funded Energy Redress Projects

The Energy Advice and Advocacy project will be delivered by Thenue Housing Assocation, a registered social landlord managing over 3,800 properties in the east End of Glasgow and Netherholm, Castlemilk.  Households will be provided with ‘warm’ referrals from housing staff, community partners and self-referrals from local residents.  The project will target low-income and vulnerable households struggling to heat their homes and pay energy bills. Energy advisers will provide tailored in-depth energy advice and an advocacy service. The service will adopt an educational, preventative approach to stop new tenants from developing utility arrears and reaching a point of crisis. The project will also offer practical and financial support.

The programme will provide independent and impartial energy advice to vulnerable residents in County Durham to alleviate the impact on their finances, and the ability to manage and health and wellbeing. Referrals will come from a range of stakeholders, including Advice in County Durham Network and internal specialist advice services. The programme will provide education to reduce consumption and maximise the benefit of home heating devices, as well as cost saving measures through home visits and casework. Support will be given with energy disputes and relevant grant applications. Outreach work will be undertaken to provide information and advice to people who may not routinely access Citizens Advice for help.

The project will support 2,750 families with dependent children in vulnerable situations in Essex, Southend and Thurrock. The team of advisers will work with key providers of children's services and emerging voluntary sector partnerships responding to the cost-of-living crisis and through a network of warm spaces being developed across the region to support families in the greatest need. Partnerships recently established will be utilised to increase referrals. Home visits will be undertaken to provide behavioural change support and to better identify opportunities for referrals to retrofit programmes. Families will be helped to stabilise and maximise income, deal with fuel and other debts, resolve disputes with energy companies and ensure priority services registration.

Many families in Cambridgeshire are coping with increased in energy prices as well as an increase in poverty in the area. Cambridgeshire Home Energy Support Services Plus (CHESS+) will expand the work with front-line workers to support households to reduce their energy bills and improve health and well-being. Experienced Energy Advisers will provide energy efficiency advice by phone, undertake home energy visits, and offer funding to help clear fuel debt or buy energy, including oil and LPG gas, where people cannot afford to heat their homes. Where appropriate, advisers will also make referrals to other providers. The project will support families through the long-term impacts of the ongoing cost of living crisis by providing households with the resources they need to stay warm and healthy.

Warrington Disability Partnership provide free, impartial, high-quality energy advice and support services across communities of disabled people, elderly people, people who have long-term health conditions, their carers and families. In addition, they offer energy advice to vulnerable clients who are facing difficulties paying their energy bills. This service meets a gap in services unavailable locally and is in response to the unprecedented increase in the cost of energy and living. In partnership with Warrington Community Energy, Warrington Borough Council’s well-being teams, Citizens Advice Bureau, Food Banks, Housing Associations, Utility Providers, Carers Centre and a range of community groups, the service will be promoted to reach the most vulnerable people living in fuel poverty.

Leicestershire Energy Support (LES) aims to improve wellbeing and confidence for vulnerable energy consumers by providing advice and referrals which will help to mitigate the impact of the increased cost of energy. LES will support at least 825 households in Leicestershire over eighteen months. LES will support energy consumers in vulnerable situations through the provision of free, independent and impartial energy advice via one-to-one appointments in accessible community locations and home visits. Referrals to community insulation, smart meter or heat pump schemes, as well as access to fuel vouchers, support with billing issues and advice on fuel options, available tariffs and grants will be given to consumers.