Funded Energy Redress Projects

This will be a collaborative research project that seeks to develop a sustainable business model for social landlords to deliver low-carbon, whole-house retrofit for hard-to-treat homes. Over 12-months the team will establish a baseline of properties, tenant perspectives, risks and costs. Through systems modelling they’ll review existing solutions, shortlisting the most promising technologies, design and create specifications that detail whole life costings, different business models and business cases. They will also  identify opportunities for replication of the model across a range of typologies to provide a commercially-viable dissemination service package to the housing industry.

Energy Activators is an energy advice project targeting residents within Inverclyde’s most 15% deprived areas, who are in greatest need of support to reduce household energy consumption. The project is a partnership between Cloch Housing Association, Oak Tree Housing Association, Larkfield Housing Association and The Wise Group. The project will see shared energy advisers undertaking home energy advice visits to those most in need and holding monthly drop-in Energy Cafés in community venues. The project also involves an Energy Mentoring Trainee Support Programme that will provide dedicated training and work experience opportunities to local unemployed individuals.

Money Buddies Energy Plus's Advisers will provide energy and financial well-being advice in vulnerable client's homes and at 20 Foodbanks throughout Leeds and the surrounding bordering postcodes. Clients will have their own tailored Money Buddy Energy Plus Plan; a cooperative tool designed to motivate clients to keep track of their progress on agreed actions, including facilitating behavioural change, energy advice recommendations, dealing with debts and financial well-being. Advisers review progress with clients and find out what support will be required in the future. The project will work with the local Groundwork Green Doctor Team to ensure clients also have access to energy saving home improvements.

The Warmer Tenants Advice Service aims to reduce fuel poverty for vulnerable tenants by addressing the issue at source - by targeting small private sector landlords and working with them alongside their tenants to improve the energy efficiency of poorly performing homes.The project will target let properties with an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) rating of E to G, raising awareness of Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards and Housing Health & Safety Rating Systems. Through telephone advice and site visits, a Domestic Energy Assessor will support landlords and tenants to raise the quality of their properties by; understanding their EPC rating, identifying cost effective, low carbon improvements and securing any funding available to make the improvements.

Centre for Sustainable Energy will employ two caseworkers to meet the unprecedented demand for energy advice expected over winter and to manage the increased time, depth and complexity of cases from vulnerable households. Casework will involve dealing with and resolving issues of debt, accessing income related benefits, accessing energy efficiency measures (including heating), monitoring and paying fuel bills and switching tariffs. This will involve advocating on clients' behalf to their landlord, energy supplier or helping them with accessing grants, measures (excluding ECO) or referring to other agencies.

Foundations Independent Living Trust is the charitable arm of Foundations, the national body for Home Improvement Agencies (HIA) in England.Their project will extend and enhance the HIAs can offer to Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) applicants, who are identified as needing energy advice or measures to improve the thermal comfort of their home. There will be over 125 HIA staff who will receive training in energy advice and other associated topics to enable them to provide energy advice during 5000 DFG home visits. Over 1000 small energy saving measures will also be installed in vulnerable client’s homes to help them save energy and keep warm.

Citizens Advice Cornwall will deliver a two year programme to enhance energy skills and awareness to young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs) and those leaving care. Energy Advisers will provide training and support including how to manage energy use, help with budgeting and advice on how to compare costs and switch energy providers. This will be delivered in small group sessions and 1:1 support for those requiring it. Advisers will identify, train and support some clients to become Energy Champions to work with their peers to improve awareness and energy management skills.  

Cambridgeshire Home Energy Support Services (CHESS) aims to work with front line workers and volunteers to support vulnerable households to reduce their energy bills and experience the associated health benefits of maintaining a warm home. CHESS will train and support frontline workers and volunteers to identify and support households in or at risk of fuel poverty. Experienced Energy Advisors will provide energy efficiency advice by phone, undertake home energy visits, offer funding to help clear fuel debt or buy oil where people cannot afford to heat their homes and make referrals to other providers. The project will address the immediate and long-term impacts of COVID-19, such as unpaid energy bill debt, rising fuel poverty levels and will provide households with the information and resources needed to stay warm and healthy, whilst cutting costs and carbon.

The project will deliver energy advice to over 3000 families in vulnerable situations in Essex, Southend and Thurrock. There will be four new, qualified Family Energy Advice Workers who will work exclusively with key providers of children and family services to support families in the greatest need. 200 workers and volunteers working for the partner organisations will be offered support and training to increase awareness of fuel poverty and the benefits of the service. Families will be helped to stabilise and maximise income, deal with fuel and other debts, get better deals and resolve disputes with energy companies and will have access to legal advice to help them deal with landlord issues.  

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a hereditary, life-shortening, neurological illness. HD families face incredible disadvantage and severe financial challenges. The Scottish Huntington's Association's financial wellbeing officers will provide income maximisation advice, debt advice, future planning and support to households living with HD. A new energy officer will provide intensive energy advice support to HD clients and will up-skill the existing team. The aim is to reduce fuel poverty and raise awareness of energy efficiencies by providing intensive support with lasting solutions, to the their highly vulnerable client base.