HACT’s Post

The number of households who spend more than 10% of their income (after housing costs) on energy rose in 2023. Scottish households are particularly impacted, with Energy Action Scotland reporting that one in three are in fuel poverty. Even before the cost-of-living crisis, many families were finding their energy bills unaffordable. By partnering with Citizens Advice Scotland, we provide #energyadvice training for 700 frontline workers, covering topics including #energyefficiency, the Priority Services Register and carbon monoxide awareness. These frontline workers will support an average of 57 clients each, leaving a legacy and a reach of almost 40,000 people that we’re helping. Find out more about this #collaboration and our work to support fuel poor households at https://lnkd.in/eiQn2VTM

🌟 Fuelling Hope: Our Support for Act on Energy's Complex Case Worker Initiative 🕛 Over the past two years, Heart of England Community Energy (HECE) has dedicated over £70,000 to support Act on Energy's Complex Case Worker initiative, addressing the impact of rising bills amidst the cost-of-living crisis in Warwickshire. 🤝 The "Complex Case Worker" initiative offers personalised assistance to vulnerable individuals, providing energy-saving guidance, grants access, and promoting warmer living conditions to tackle fuel poverty head-on. So far, the initiative has made a significant impact by supporting a total of 723 households, surpassing our initial target of 400. The impact of the project has been profound, as evidenced by HECE's funding. Both Stratford and Warwick District Councils have now committed to funding similar projects, highlighting the success and necessity of initiatives like these in our community. 🔗 Visit our website to read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/ezhGk9zY 🎉 As we celebrate this milestone, HECE takes pride in leading the way towards mitigating fuel poverty and looks forward to continued growth and success. 🙏 The entire HECE board extends sincere thanks to all at Act on Energy who made this initiative possible! #communityenergy #communityimpact #warwickshire #solar #energyadvice Communities For Renewables C.I.C.

Research carried out by the Resolution Foundation has suggested that 7.7 million UK households are likely to struggle to heat their homes this winter. From today (Tuesday, October 1) the energy price cap, which is set by industry regulator Ofgem and will cover the period October to December 2024, will rise by 10%, to £1,7171 a year for an average dual-fuel household in Great Britain paying by direct debit. That marked increase, up from £1,568 which had been the cap since July, piles even further pressure onto the UK's households just as Autumn kicks in, temperatures start to dip, and many people try to keep away the cold by switching their heating on more regularly. Almost half of British adults will take the unwanted decision to ration their energy use this winter, according to the fuel poverty charity National Energy Action. The Resolution Foundation has warned that the energy crisis has put millions of people - including the majority of families with children - at risk of what they are calling 'fuel stress' this winter, whereby families would need to spend more than 10% of their income (excluding housing costs) on heating their homes. Crucially, analysis by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) found that those homes with the poorest energy efficiency – including due to poor insulation – rated at an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band 'F' would pay more £440 more than they would have done before the energy crisis, and £385 more than a house rated in the government’s target EPC band of 'C'. Across the Westdale Group we are committed to tackling fuel poverty by providing better home insulation and other key efficiency solutions. While we deliver refurbishment projects that are tailored to the needs of local authorities, housing associations and principal contractors, we have also been working with government funding for many years. By utilising the government’s ECO4 scheme we can provide people with a warmer, cosier and much more energy efficient home). 📢 Give us a call (01302 700700) or email hello@westdalegroup.co.uk to see if we can help you bring energy efficient improvements to your property. #fuelrisk #energypricecap #insulation #energyefficiency #refurbishmentprojects

⚡The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is the government’s flagship fuel poverty alleviation programme, and one of the main pillars to improve overall energy efficiency. 🏠 Energy efficiency upgrades can be the best way to alleviate fuel poverty, which impacts 13% of households today. It would however currently take the government 72 years to meet its 2030 targets on energy efficiency upgrades. 🎯Reform of the programme is needed to ensure it can play a central role in meeting the UK’s statutory target to end fuel poverty by 2030. Learn more about the reforms needed to boost delivery: https://lnkd.in/eNkkBCyN

📝 It's time to apply! The National Grid Community Matters Fund Fuel Poverty 2024 is now accepting applications. Successful projects will need to meet one or more of the following themes: 👍 Distributing warm packs or energy efficiency measures (i.e. warm blankets, radiator keys, insulated curtains, draught excluders) for home usage 👍 Visiting isolated households to help people make their homes warmer and more energy efficient 👍 Running a warm space in a community building 👍 Improving the energy efficiency of a community building used as a warm space 👍 Providing tariff switching, energy saving, winter fuel discount, or other fuel poverty advice ⏰ Find out more and apply today - https://buff.ly/3YqJz49 #gridcommunityfund This £500,000 fund is particularly seeking applications which achieve a long-term impact by helping beneficiaries save money on their household energy bills on an ongoing, sustainable basis are especially encouraged. We are very keen on the projects delivering a legacy of support, beyond just the initial funding.

Sia Partners and Cadent Gas Limited are supporting the people most affected by the living crisis by designing and launching The Warm Homes Network, a new UK fuel poverty Partner Ecosystem initiative. This partnership ecosystem brings together diverse organisations to create a community of trusted partners which offers single source of support to vulnerable customers. It includes utility providers, Cadent, Northern Gas Networks, National Grid, local governments and charities as well as technology providers, Google Cloud.   We have launched initial pilots in Birmingham and Cumbria, two areas identified as having high levels of deprivation in the UK. So far, this ‘one-stop-shop’ benefits support has saved households an average of £8,950, and we are now working at scaling the programme to offer the following support to vulnerable customers across the UK: - Grants, benefits check and application support - Money management advice - Fuel and water debt advice - Energy efficiency and low carbon technology advice, in-depth assessments and retrofitting measures This is necessary as fuel poverty is an increasingly prevalent issue, illustrated by the statistics published by National Energy Action in 2023 stating that 6.5 million UK households are now predicted to be in fuel poverty from January ’24, a 31% increase from October '21. Aby Handler Alessandra Ciniero, PhD   Phil Burrows, MBA Mark Belmega Gurvinder Dosanjh Kate Ravenscroft nicola campbell Gary O'Sullivan, Stephen Deadmon, Scott Flavell, Saul Lew Yousuf M. Olivia Tomalin

Since the start of the energy crisis, the Dutch government has allocated €550 million to municipalities to help residents with saving energy and improving their living conditions. Municipalities have used these grants for energy aid services. In our study, we identified which approach to energy service is the most effective against energy poverty. We collaborated with thirteen energy aid service providers, and compared the living conditions of residents who have received energy aid, to those who have not yet received energy aid. 🔎The local embeddedness of an organization is most important for the effectiveness of energy aid. 🔎Multiple and longer visits by energy aid workers contribute to improved housing comfort and physical health and promote sustainable behavior. 🔎Energy aid organizations that employ volunteers and workers with a distance to the labor market improve residents' indoor comfort and physical health, and reduce financial concerns. 🔎Collaboration with a social housing corporation and approaching residents in a targeted manner helps to reach residents in vulnerable conditions. Caroline van Ooij Arianne J. van der Wal Thomas Schuurman Hess Rosalie Varkevisser Elsenoor Wijlhuizen

Fuel poverty continues to be a pressing issue in Scotland, with millions of households struggling to afford the energy they need to stay warm and healthy. As energy prices rise and colder weather sets in, we must do all we can to support those most at risk. 💡 Energy Saving Tips: Small changes can help reduce your bills: - Turn down your thermostat by just 1°C. - Use energy-efficient appliances, like microwaves and air fryers. - Keep curtains closed to retain heat. If you’re struggling with energy costs, Home Energy Scotland offers free advice and funding options to help with heating your home. Call 0808 808 2282 or visit their website: https://loom.ly/UrBd7YM At Hanover Scotland, we have partnered with ChangeWorks to offer the Housing Association Energy Advice Support Service. Get in touch to learn how you can cut your energy usage and lower bills. Together, we can help combat fuel poverty and ensure everyone can stay warm this winter. #FuelPovertyAwareness #StayWarm #HanoverScotland #EnergySupport

Ahead of our second #Roundtable this Thursday at Money Matters Advice Centre in Glasgow, we're sharing the findings from our first event. Held at The Bromley By Bow Centre on 15th May, the objective was to better understand the community’s #FuelPoverty challenges, with a focus on those also affected by #PhysicalHealth and #MentalHealth. Observations included: ⚡ Support is often most effectively accessed and delivered by groups that are embedded in the communities where they work and have the trust of local people. ⚡ Organisations must take a holistic approach to tackling fuel poverty because energy debt is rarely an issue that exists in isolation. ⚡ People with mental health issues are disproportionately affected by fuel poverty and require tailored support, but often feel vulnerable when asking for help. Read more here ⬇ https://lnkd.in/e4kR6p7K

There are now an estimated 6.7 million UK households in fuel poverty! Research from IPPR found that retrofitting poorly insulated homes could save the average household £500 per year on their energy bills and provide a real lifeline to low-income families, and help achieve the Government’s Net Zero ambitions retrofitting the UK's housing supply. In our latest podcast https://lnkd.in/eNX3q_sb we talk about our retrofit programme; how we have secured and matched £9m in funding from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2.1 to allow us to make energy efficiency improvements to over 800 homes across eight projects in England. #DepartmentforEnergySecurityandNetZero #Podcast #Sustainability #EPCC #retrofit #energyefficiency