Case studyTackling Fuel Poverty Caused By Cancer
Ensuring people with cancer have access to expert advice and support so they can keep warm without the worry of how to pay their fuel bills.
Macmillan Cancer Support do whatever it takes to help people with cancer get the best care, whoever and wherever they are. Their Tackling Fuel Poverty Caused By Cancer project ensures that vulnerable people with cancer have access to expert advice, support and where possible emergency funds so they can keep warm without the worry of how to pay their fuel bills.
Macmillan Cancer Support secured £278,874 in Round 7 of the Energy Redress Scheme for their ambitious project.
This project exceeded its projected targets and has highlighted the growing need for energy advice services to the number of people in the country living with or affected by cancer, struggling with increased fuel bills.
Project aims
One of the biggest outgoing costs for people living with cancer is their heating costs as they try to keep warm during their treatment when they are often at home more and see a spike in their fuel bills.
The Macmillan Energy Advice Team specifically focuses on what support is available and trying to help customers keep warm in their homes, whether through emergency prepayment meter vouchers or accessing grant eligibility.
Project deliverables
The project has been able to fund the team and allow for additional training from NEA, it has also allowed the Energy Advice Team to meet with water companies and expand their knowledge and advice. As the demand for the service has increased the team has responded innovatively by training additional colleagues across Welfare Rights to deliver energy advice.
Clients who interacted with a dual role advisor were asked to take part in a survey about their experience. Of respondents:
- 70% weren’t aware that Macmillan could help with energy costs before speaking to an advisor.
100% agreed or strongly agreed that:
Project impact
Macmillan supported almost 9,000 households over the 12-month project and identified fuel bill savings of over £3.5 million. Macmillan has since been successful in securing further funding through the Energy Redress Scheme to continue this important work.
While we are in the early days of understanding the additional challenges which we face for people living with cancer, we will do whatever it takes to provide support for those who need it through our services including the Energy Advice Team, acting innovatively to the changing needs and demand of those with cancer across the UK. This will mean we can adapt our support to help meet these needs and to work closely with other organisations, such as energy providers, of the support required.
Sean Conroy –Macmillan Service Manager: Welfare Rights and Energy