Identifying and Responding to Fuel Poverty

With increased domestic fuel costs and unprecedented volatility in the energy market, people on low incomes, including pensioners, people with disabilities and families, face profound challenges keeping their homes warm, dry and conducive to health.

As a frontline worker, you may feel powerless to respond. Still, the need to respond is greater than ever, especially because, as more people move into “fuel poverty”, the number of those who are most profoundly fuel-poor also increases. Government policy and individual action should, in the face of overwhelming need, respond to those worst affected.

Nudging the people you help, towards making changes in how they use energy, engaging in opportunities to improve the energy efficiency of their homes AND making sure they can access the high-quality, intensive energy advice the Citizens Advice service in Essex offers are all ways of responding to these needs.

Our services seek to tackle some of the underlying causes of fuel poverty – not just “hard to heat” homes but also low incomes, issues with benefits and debt.

In this FREE, 90 minute course, delivered by Citizens Advice energy experts, you’ll learn:

What is fuel poverty

What are the causes and effects

Who is most vulnerable

Practical steps your service user can take

Grants and schemes available to improve energy efficiency

The vital role income maximisation plays and how we help including a run down of government support measures

Other ways Citizens Advice can help and how to refer

The role of emerging voluntary and public sector responses such as “Warm Spaces.”

Delivered online using Teams