Energy Redress Funding - Phase two Round two Outcome

The following 33 projects have been successful in securing funding in Phase 2 Round 2 of the Energy Redress Scheme to deliver projects across Great Britain. A total of £9,764,155 was awarded in this round. The grant recipients include the following:

 

Argyll, Lomond & Isles Energy Agency (ALI Energy)

Argyll Energy Advice Service 2

£305,306.50

Main fund

Scotland

Argyll Energy Advice Service is led by Argyll, Lomond and the Islands Energy Agency (ALIenergy), in collaboration with Home Energy Scotland and a range of local referral organisations working with vulnerable clients, including foodbanks, health and social care providers, and housing associations. Together they will deliver a home energy advice service for the diverse and mainly rural communities of Argyll and Bute, with a particular focus on off-gas households, many of which are very seriously affected by fuel poverty. The service will offer: immediate crisis intervention; a range of energy advice topics to raise awareness and reduce the risk of fuel poverty going forwards; and referrals into a variety of available schemes including Scottish Government funded insulation and heating replacements.

 

Arun and Chichester Citizens Advice Bureau

Tackling Fuel Poverty Together Programme - Expansion

£508,004.47

Main fund

England

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.

 

Bromley by Bow Centre

People Powered

£373,990.95

Main fund

England

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.

 

Citizens Advice Brighton & Hove

Energyworks

£476,752.05

Main fund

England

The Energyworks single point of contact (SPOC) project will be a partnership between Citizens Advice Brighton & Hove (CABH) and Brighton & Hove Energy Services Coop (BHESCo) to help all city residents in fuel poverty. All energy advisers will be trained to City & Guilds Level 3 Energy Awareness. The SPOC will be embedded in the widely used Energyworks service in Brighton & Hove and will be accessed through a central telephone number, digital, advice drop-ins at Citizens Advice at Hove Town Hall, and via community outreach workshops. The Energyworks webpage will have dedicated and up-to-date information on all local and national energy schemes to help reduce fuel poverty. 3,439 clients will be advised over the course of the project and 382 home visits will be undertaken over 2 years.

 

Citizens Advice Bury & Bolton

Making Ends Meet

£478,599.97

Main fund

England

A partnership between Citizens Advice Bury/Bolton, Age UK Bolton, and Age UK Bury will create a team of 4 advisers and a project manager, whose role will include increasing awareness and developing external stakeholder relations with landlords and local authorities. The project will include free face-to-face quality assured advice for those vulnerable to fuel poverty across Bury and Bolton. The project will be delivered through provisions of energy specific advice, income maximisation, and advice on wider money problems. It will work proactively with landlords who are interested in encouraging applications for grants when available. The project will also work to promote greater awareness and access to advice and other services helping people with fuel insecurity.

 

Citizens Advice County Durham

Energy Advice - Right Place, Right Time

£246,962.90

Main fund

England

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.

Citizens Advice Essex

Warm Start Plus

£402,437.50

Main fund

England

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.

 

Citizens Advice Leicestershire

Leicestershire Energy Support

£47,668.75

Small fund

England

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.

 

Citizens Advice SORT Group

Switching to Smart

£188,474.50

Innovation fund

England

Citizens Advice SORT Group have been successful in getting an in-principle agreement with Google Nest hardware team for a research programme in Greater Manchester. This proposal includes discounting Nest Thermostat E by £100 to £99.99 and product training for Citizens Advice staff and volunteers. Nest estimates the average user will save between 8.4% to 16.5% on their energy bills - given recent increase in the price cap this could be essential savings for consumers in this area. This one year project will provide intensive energy advice via home visits, install smart thermostats, check in on quarterly basis to monitor the cost savings and energy consumption habits focused on 400 people living in fuel poverty.

 

Community Action Northumberland

Domestic carbon reduction in off-gas Northumberland

£159,365.00

CERF

England

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.

 

Community Advice and law Service (CALS)

Energywise Plus

£204,350.00

Main fund

England

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.

 

Croydon BME Forum

Healthy Homes for all 2

£99,797.00

Main fund

England

The project will increase awareness of domestic energy issues and reduce the risk of fuel poverty amongst harder to reach and BME communities, likely to be disproportionately affected by the impacts of high energy prices, the risk of self-disconnection, or arrears from the Covid-19 period. The project is led by the Croydon BME Forum which has a long track record of community engagement, with specialist and advisory support from Croydon Council. An energy adviser will deliver training sessions across the borough and online, which will include energy efficiency, energy bill and tariff advice, energy debt support, and support applying for grant funding. The project will fund promotional campaigns for residents who do not speak English as a first language.

 

Cumbria Action for Sustainability

Retrofit and Renewables Community Delivery Programme

£275,790.00

CERF

England

The ‘Home Retrofit Advice Service’ and ‘Solar Made Easy’ projects will be scaled up to build householder confidence and improve accessibility of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures for householders. Taking a community-by-community approach, working in partnership with local community groups, parish councils and the Farmer Network; they will increase engagement and confidence in the local supply chain; increase supplier confidence in the market and unlock £1million of spend on retrofit in Cumbria (£10k per household). As part of the project, they will support 700 homeowners with advice via events, webinars and other training and upskill contractors to provide quality ’deep retrofit’ in a wide variety of building types.  

 

Darlaston All Active

Darlaston Energy Busters

£42,385.00

Small fund

England

The project will work closely with the local community and other relevant groups to provide high quality energy saving information and guidance to the most vulnerable groups within the borough. One-to-one support will be offered, group awareness training sessions and participants will be referred to Walsall Council’s Housing Standards and Improvement, Benefits, and Housing Support. A qualified energy adviser will deliver advice and guidance and several volunteers will be trained to become energy champions, to continue to provide on-going support to those the project will be helping.

 

Habitats & Heritage

SW Leap Fuel Crisis Extension

£35,756.25

Small fund

England

South West London Energy Advice Partnership (SW Leap) has been operating for just over a year of its 2 year project (August 2021 - July 2023) with financial support from the Energy Redress Fund.  Working in the London Boroughs of Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth demand has increased for help from those in fuel poverty and have a waiting list of several weeks for home visits. Energy adviser capacity will be increased and small measures such as LED bulbs and radiator panels for the additional home visits will be added.  

 

Knowsley District Citizens Advice Bureau

Knowsley Community Energy Support

£178,320.00

Main fund

England

The project will deliver a comprehensive energy advice service to the population of Knowsley, the second most economically deprived Local Authority area in England. The project will work closely across the local voluntary sector to help identify those who are being impacted the most by fuel poverty and provide an in-depth service designed around people’s needs in all aspects of energy advice, including referrals to complementary services within the voluntary sector, with an emphasis on health and wellbeing, disability and family support services. It will work to provide a borough-wide, single point of contact for energy related support services, utilising existing resources, and delivering measurable impacts on beneficiaries to influence future energy advice programmes.

 

Live Inclusive

Recharge Energy Advice Project

£249,985.46

Main fund

England

Live Inclusive supports disabled/long-term condition communities to live as independently as possible. They will increase support through the Recharge Energy Advice Project to support these communities. They will help to communicate with energy providers on their behalf and support customers to make changes in attitudes/behaviour to energy use and supply small measures to help.  They provide energy saving light bulbs and other energy saving products to help reduce energy bills as well as increase the positive impact on communities’ health and well-being.

 

Macmillan Cancer Support

Tackling fuel poverty caused by cancer 2023

£467,063.76

Main fund

Great Britain

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.

 

Marches Energy Agency

Warmer Derby and Derbyshire 3

£603,789.34

Main fund

England

Warmer Derby & Derbyshire 3 (WDD3) will be run by Marches Energy Agency (MEA), a charity with 25 years’ experience supporting local people to be warm and well at home. With WDD3, MEA will aim to provide free, independent advice and practical help to tackle fuel poverty and cold homes for a further 4000 people. They will expand from their free phone advice line with in-depth case work support, home visits with low-cost measures and crisis support, and signpost to insulation schemes. They will reach communities excluded through language and cultural barriers, with training and direct assistance. Referral networks and partnerships will be strengthened, such as with Adult Social Services, food and warm banks, mental health agencies, and women’s refuges.

 

Middlesbrough Environment City Trust

Cosy Homes South Tees 2

£151,044.96

Main fund

England

Middlesbrough Environment City Trust (MEC) delivers activities to assist vulnerable, fuel poor people across Middlesbrough and Redcar & Cleveland. The boroughs have extreme levels of poverty, including areas in the top 25% deprived in England. With the ongoing energy crisis, these levels have increased. The project takes a proactive approach to tackling fuel poverty with a one-to-one advice programme across South Tees, the provision of a robust referral pathway to support vulnerable clients through: energy advice; access to energy efficiency measures; crisis support; income maximisation; and wellbeing support.  The project will continue to support those in fuel poverty and will expand upon its past work.

 

Newport City Homes

NCH Energy Smart People and Communities

£498,829.27

Main fund

Wales

Partnering with Warm Wales and National Energy Action (NEA), Newport City Homes will provide a team consisting of trained Community Workers to provide light touch energy advice, looking to reduce fuel expenditure and improve energy efficiency of their homes. Warm Wales community workers will provide in-depth energy advice and education along with energy saving packs. In addition, Warm Wales will work with social prescribing projects and wellbeing to support customers to engage in activities to improve their health and well-being. Awareness training for those that are first point of contact for customers will be implemented, so that fuel poverty can be identified and prevented. Fuel debt and energy awareness training will be provided by NEA to give direct support to households to create warmer, safer, healthier and energy smarter communities in Newport.

 

Northumbrian Citizens Advice Bureau

Targeting most in need in Northumberland

£356,050.80

Main fund

England

With a focus on vulnerable households in communities within Northumberland where fuel poverty is greatest and the effects of excess winter deaths and hospital admissions are highest, Northumbrian Citizens Advice Bureau has developed a project that will mitigate the effects of fuel poverty through targeted interventions by trained, specialist advisers and caseworkers.  With over 40 years of experience working in the area, holistic energy advice will be delivered to those at risk of fuel poverty from trained staff.

 

Peterborough Environment City Trust

Cambridgeshire Home Energy Support Services Plus

£243,299.40

Main fund

England

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.

 

Scarf

Moray Energy Advice Programme

£287,800.00

Main fund

Scotland

Scarf will provide a Home Energy Advice Team service in Moray with the aim of supporting one of the regions with the highest level of fuel poverty. The programme will offer Moray households a home energy audit. This audit will advise on property fabric upgrades, soft measures and funding available to improve the properties’ energy efficiency. Once the energy audit is complete and recommendations are made, the in-home advisers will offer free and impartial energy efficiency advice to the household to educate the household on energy usage. The programme will be available to all tenures and where appropriate be delivered both in-home and remotely.

 

Scope

Disability Energy Support service

£631,542.56

Main fund

England & Wales

Scope’s Disability Energy Support service (DES) will support 10,000 disabled households across England and Wales with free, impartial and tailored person or household-centred energy advice. Support will be provided via a telephone appointment or bespoke email and action plan, supporting them to improve their ability to meet and afford their energy needs. Further signposting will be shared to external organisations offering additional support, such as grant payments or fuel vouchers, free energy efficiency equipment, or debt advice.

 

Sefton Carers Centre

Energy Support for Carers

£246,052.99

Main fund

England

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.

 

Severn Wye Agency

Energy Advocacy Herefordshire and Gloucestershire

£658,228.88

Main fund

England

This project will support approximately 4,050 disadvantaged and vulnerable households who struggle with fuel poverty. The project will help households to understand their energy use, save energy in their homes, communicate with their energy providers, and access grants and other support to better manage their bills. Ultimately, the project aims to reduce the number of people falling into fuel poverty, saving a projected total of £877,000 on energy costs (£1.57m small measures lifetime-savings). The project will work with diverse communities including ethnic minorities, refugees, those with health conditions, and older people. This is a partnership between Severn Wye, Integrated Healthcare, Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (GARAS), and other community organisations.

 

Stirling District Citizens Advice Bureau Ltd

Energy Advice Project 2

£109,226.50

Main fund

Scotland

The project to continue its vital work in the Stirling Council Area and evolve the project based on frontline experience to support vulnerable energy consumers through the cost-of-living crisis. The project reaches out to those in need with energy advice, delivers change and maintains a strong referral network to more specialist energy advisers to reduce the number of households experiencing fuel poverty.

 

Thenue Housing Association

Thenue Energy Advice Project (TEA Project)

£229,857.00

Main fund

Scotland

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.

 

Torus Foundation

Supportive Energy- phase two

£192,976.52

Main fund

England

The project will provide energy advice, advocacy and practical solutions for vulnerable social housing residents living in areas of high deprivation across the Northwest, impacted by Covid-19, the cost-of-living crisis, and changes to the energy price cap. Two qualified Energy Advice Officers will deliver bespoke energy advice, alongside wrap-around support to provide a holistic service which meets the complex, multiple needs of vulnerable tenants. This will include benefit maximization, employment advice and access to health and wellbeing support.
 

Warrington Disability Partnership

Energy Saving Support Service

£391,768.36

Main fund

England

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.

 

Whitley Bay Big Local

Draught Includers

£42,556.00

Small fund

England

Draught Includers is a project that aims to engage vulnerable people in community activities and help them to get the help they need to keep their properties warm and their bills under control. The initiative will work closely with North Tyneside Voda (CVS) and a network of 30 community based or faith-based organisations who are delivering a warm hubs programme, to provide additional support. A sustainability adviser will visit each of the warm hubs and provide advice and support to people and volunteers and staff will be upskilled to provide support themselves. Support will be provided over the telephone and in person. Free home starter kits and installation will also be offered.

 

Witton Lodge Community Association

Cost of living support - North Birmingham

£380,122.00

Main fund

England

Building on existing work as a community partnership to help vulnerable people in North Birmingham who are impacted by the cost-of-living crisis, the project will deliver a community-based fuel poverty advice and advocacy service. This will expand the availability of dedicated fuel poverty support, offered through energy cafes, a phone line, drop-in, community events, and in-depth case work.  It will build upon the existing help with the impact of increasing fuel bills to make a positive difference to people experiencing increased stress as a result of fuel price increases and to alleviate the impact on anxiety, depression and mental health caused by fuel poverty.