Funded Energy Redress Projects

The Energy Advocate Powys project is a partnership between Severn Wye, Powys County Council and community organisations like The HIVE, Pobl, The Bracken Trust and local foodbanks. It will provide targeted support to hard-to-reach people in rural areas who often fall through the net of conventional fuel poverty programmes. The project will embed trained Energy Advocate's within three areas in Powys covering Newtown, Llandrindod Wells and Brecon, areas have been selected based of higher level of need. The advocates will work alongside the council services, integrated health and community organisations to support people through the energy crisis, aiming to both alleviate and prevent fuel poverty. The partnership services will be able to refer directly to our Energy Advocates who will conduct home visits, provide energy efficiency advice, billing support and support with grant applications, and holding appointment-based and drop-in surgeries in partner hubs. This project will be essential for these communities to face the energy and cost of living crisis.

Arun and Chichester Citizens Advice (ACCA) and Citizens Advice 1066 (CA1066) will work in partnership to expand the existing Tackling Fuel Poverty Together Programme and provide high-level energy advice to the most vulnerable groups at risk of disconnection due to the cost-of-living crisis through single point of contact (SPOC) telephone/video advice services. The programme will: expand the West and East Sussex SPOC services to deal with increased demand; deliver awareness training to external front line staff and training updates to Citizens Advice volunteers; and distribute fuel vouchers to vulnerable fuel poor households. The service will be promoted in areas of high-level deprivation.

Community Action Northumberland (CAN) is committed to reducing carbon emissions, increasing household energy efficiency and reducing fuel poverty in the rural communities of Northumberland. The project will deliver trusted independent carbon reduction advice and support to rural households off the gas grid who face the most challenging response to the removal of fossil fuels. A dedicated officer will provide independent advice to off-gas grid households to maximise their energy efficiency and identify the optimal options for transition to non-fossil fuels. Support will be given to individual households to implement carbon reduction installations, utilising external grant support available. A series of energy roadshows in rural communities across the area will be conducted.

Rising energy costs and spiralling cost of living mean that now more than ever people with cancer are facing severe financial hardship. Macmillan’s Energy Advice Team exists to support people with cancer by providing energy advice, financial support and signposting to other fuel poverty services. Macmillan Cancer Support’s ambition is to create more sustainable solutions for people with cancer, partnering with energy companies to better support vulnerable customers and alleviate fuel poverty. To ensure they can meet the growing demand at an unprecedented level, salary costs of energy and welfare advisers will be supported by funding.

The project will target unpaid carers, living in the borough of Sefton. Project delivery will be led by Sefton Carers Centre, supported by volunteers and partnering with Sefton's Affordable Warmth Team. The project aims to reduce the number of carers experiencing fuel poverty through the delivery of energy efficiency advice to individual carers and groups of carers. Support will be provided to maximise finances via welfare benefit advice to prevent/reduce fuel poverty.  Information will also be provided to help carers access any capital grants that are available for energy efficiency measures such as boilers and insulation for their home, in addition to small energy efficient items being provided via the project.

The ‘People Powered’ project aims to provide residents of Tower Hamlets, Newham and Hackney, most vulnerable to fuel poverty, with: the immediate support they need to overcome acute difficulties with their energy bills and longer-term resilience to withstand on-going pressures to pay their energy bills. These boroughs all have pockets of significant deprivation. The project is designed to provide the community with greater access to the right type of support, in a sustainable and cost-efficient way. The community-based model will support people with acute issues, while giving them and their communities the tools to sustain longer-term resilience to ongoing pressures.

The project will offer holistic advice and support for energy customers who meet Ofgem’s vulnerability criteria by helping them to: manage their energy accounts; reduce energy consumption; maximise their income; access other services (e.g. debt/benefits advice, mental health support). The service will be delivered through information/awareness-raising events and one-to-one advice offered at CALS, at community venues across Leicester and through home visits. The project will be delivered in partnership with organisations across Leicester, serving communities that experience high levels of economic disadvantage to maximise reach and complement existing service provision.