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Getting Households out of Fuel Poverty E-learning - November 2012 This e-learning session outlines what fuel poverty is, how to identify it and what you can do to help people get out of fuel poverty. There are some government funds and assistance available to householders , but these are limited in scope and time. It is important for you to understand the importance of acting quickly in order to help the people you work with to access these grants before they run out. This update should take 10-15 minutes to complete and at the end of it you will be able to identify who might be eligible for help with their energy costs and what you can do to help them. As a result it could lead to saving someone’s life, or make them more comfortable and less prone to illness. OVERVIEW In this update you will cover the following topics: What is fuel poverty? The prevalence of Fuel Poverty The effects of fuel poverty The “cure” for fuel poverty What is Warmer Homes Greener District? What help is available? Referral mechanisms What to do next What is fuel poverty? Fuel poverty is technically defined as where a household has to spend more than 10% of its income on heating its home. This however does not describe the complete picture. Some people do not have enough income to spend 10% of it on their heating; others would not be able to adequately heat their home no matter how much they spend as they simply do not have adequate heating mechanisms. Because of this, some campaigning organisations are trying to redefine fuel poverty. Because it is difficult to define, you should not get too hung up on whether or not someone is technically in fuel poverty. There are 3 main factors that influence fuel poverty: household income, the price of fuel, and energy consumption (i.e. the energy needed to heat the home, which in turn is influenced by the energy efficiency of the property, the fuel used to heat the property, and lifestyle of the occupier) If they are long term ill; have no heating or their heating is broken; evidence of damp in the home; their home is uncomfortably cold or they show other signs of poverty, then it is most likely that they are fuel poor. Levels of fuel poverty have been seen to be rising in the past few years and in Lichfield could be as high as 1 in 5 households. This is one of the highest rates in the country. Indicators of Fuel Poverty to look out for: A: Increased vulnerability to cold Long-term conditions Respiratory Illnesses Heart disease Stroke Recent falls & accidents Immobility Pregnancy Elderly Babies/young children B: Things people say / do: Their home is usually cold Their home is usually draughty Fuel bills are too high Owes money for fuel Uses prepayment meter to avoid running up debt Stays in bed for the majority of the day to keep warm Sits with hot water bottle to keep warm Seeks warmth elsewhere Heating system not working C: House Condition The home is cold/draughty The home smells of damp There’s no visible form of heating Only one room is heated Ventilators are blocked up or covered Your patient/client wears lots of clothes indoors The curtains are closed in the day to conserve heat Signs of damp/condensation on the windowsills Mould and damp can be seen on walls, ceilings etc. The Prevalence Of Fuel Poverty Despite being a relatively affluent district it is estimated that 9010 or 22% of households are currently in fuel poverty. This has increased from 2010 figures of 7,142 (17.4%) of households and although the level of households in fuel poverty varies across the UK we can see in the table below that the level in Lichfield District is higher than the English average. All Households Fuel Poor Households Lichfield 40,999 9,010 22.0% Tamworth 30,932 6,429 20.8% 345,924 83,399 24.1% 2,244,928 589,004 26.2% 21,535,414 3,963,923 18.4% Staffordshire West Midlands England %age of fuel poor households Fuel Poverty around the District varies widely and the map below shows the levels of fuel poverty by ward. The map shows the areas with the highest levels of fuel poverty Key to Map: 1. Colton & Mavesyn Ridware. 2. Armitage with Handsacre. 3. Longdon. 4. Boney Hay. 5. Chase Terrace. 6. Chasetown. 7. Burntwood Central. 8. All Saints. 9. Summerfield. 10. Highfield. 11. Hammerwich. 12. Kings Bromley. 13. Leomansley. 14. Chadsmead. 15. Curborough. 16. Stowe. 17. Boley Park. 18. St Johns. 19. Shenstone. 20. Stonnall. 21. Little Aston. 22. Bourne Vale. 23. Fazeley. 24. Whittington. 25. Mease & Tame. 26. Alrewas & Fradley The Effects of Fuel Poverty The links between fuel poverty and health are well documented, see http://www.fph.org.uk/uploads/toolkit_fuel_poverty.pdf On average 40,000 more people die in winter (from December to March) in the UK than would be expected from death rates in the rest of the year. Over half of these deaths are from cardiovascular disease and a third from respiratory disease. Influenza, in non-epidemic years, accounts for fewer than 4,000 deaths. This high level of excess winter mortality is not seen in countries with much colder winters than the UK, such as Finland and Russia. Excess winter mortality is largely preventable if people keep warm both indoors and outside. Keeping warm outside needs a combination of warm clothing and being physically active. Keeping warm indoors needs a combination of adequate heating, insulation and ventilation to ensure comfortable temperatures and humidity levels. Living in warm, dry, well ventilated homes rather than cold, damp homes can not only reduce mortality, but also reduce illness and promote faster recovery from illness, prevent unnecessary hospital admissions, support timely discharge and maximise independent living. Ensuring warmth at home is therefore an essential part of integrated care. Action to eliminate cold, damp homes could lessen the winter pressure on the NHS and help to achieve the national targets for coronary heart disease and to deliver the National Service Framework for older people. The “solution” for fuel poverty is either: • Improve the efficiency of the home so that it can be warmed with less energy • Reduce the cost of energy so that people can afford to use more fuel to keep their homes warm • Increase income • Reduce expenditure in other areas so that more money is available for fuel Or a mixture of some or all of the above This training session deals with the first of these What is Warm Homes Greener District? Many Local Authorities have set up schemes to help people to access government grants and other national or local assistance to help reduce fuel poverty. Most schemes will involve a partnership of frontline staff, third sector organisations and local contractors to identify potential recipients and help them to access grants. Warmer Homes, Greener District (WHGD) is just such a scheme. The scheme is run by Marches Energy Agency (www.mea.org.uk) and Beat the Cold (www.beatcold.org) on behalf of Lichfield District Council. We help residents of Lichfield to access grants to install energy efficient measures in their homes. This includes free loft and cavity wall insulation, solid wall insulation at a reduced cost or for free (for qualifying households), as well as provide some small grants towards heating systems that have broken down (for qualifying households). Loft insulation should be a minimum of 10 inches, but most homes have much less than this. Nearly 30% of heat is lost through a poorly insulated roof. So getting a loft insulated properly can make a big difference to people’s bills. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that you can save £175 per year by insulating your loft. Cavity wall insulation can prevent up to 35% of heat being lost. This will save around £150 per year on the average home. Most people do not know if their home has cavity wall insulation and it is a simple matter for a surveyor to identify. The procedure for installation takes only a few hours. Solid wall insulation can be done on the inside or the outside of the house. It is a lengthy and expensive process to do, but grants and assistance are increasing. It is also the only way to insulate some houses and will make a significant difference to the home – saving up to £400 per year on bills. There are also some simple behavioural changes and minor DIY work that can reduce energy costs. In April 2012, we launched a new energy advice line. Provided by Marches Energy Agency in partnership with Beat the Cold, it provides over-the-phone advice on: • • • • • Affordable warmth measures Problems with heating and hot water Fuel bills Fuel debt Energy efficiency and renewable technologies Householders can call directly or intermediaries can refer someone for advice and we will call them. The call is free from landlines but mobiles will cost. The number to call for advice is 0800 677 1543 You can find out more here: http://www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/warm What help is available The CERT scheme which offered free cavity wall and loft insulation has now finished. The Warm Front Scheme has also now closed to new applicants. These 2 schemes have been replaced by The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme which helps householders in older properties and those on benefits or from low-income households to make their homes more energy efficient. It is funded by certain energy companies. OFGEM monitor the scheme. This scheme has three strands that deal with reducing heating cost (Affordable Warmth Obligation) reducing carbon emissions (Carbon Saving Obligation & Carbon Saving Communities Obligation). The first is open to all owner occupiers and private tenants. The carbon savings schemes are open to any one trying to get measures such as solid wall insulation or in certain areas. What help is available There is also the Green Deal which offers loans for energy saving measures for properties. The loans are repaid through energy bills. There are 45 different improvements covered by the Green Deal The diagram below illustrates the process for Green Deal Referral mechanisms Using the list of fuel poverty identifiers; if you believe the householder may be in fuel poverty: 1.Let the householder (or their representative) know that you will be referring them for assistance. If they agree to this, let them know that other agencies / services of Lichfield Council may get in touch – or simply pass them the WHGD number for them to make the call themselves - 0800 677 1543. Tell them that the caller will always quote ‘Warm Homes Greener District’. 2. If you are referring them yourself call 0800 677 1543 and give as many details as possible including the identifying factors (for example, low income, damp, long term illness, no heating) Also include: Full name Address Phone numbers (and when is a good time to call) Carer/ Assistant contact name and details Any prevailing issues that may impact on them being able to deal with a referral such as memory loss. The WHGD team will assist with insulation enquiries, tariff switching and general energy efficiency advice. They will assess whether callers are likely to be eligible for either ECO or Green Deal schemes. We also offer advice and signposting on any grants and potential funding for energy efficiency improvements and emergency heating repairs. For the most vulnerable clients WHGD can arrange for a home energy check which will entail one of their trained staff to undertake a home visit to check the energy tariff, heating use, controls and advise how to save money and energy. 0800 677 1543 What to do next NOW THAT YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE TRAINING: Please email your name, position and contact details to [email protected] for your certificate. This allows us to monitor how many people have used this training. We may use your contact details to send you up-dates in future, but we will not pass on your contact details to anyone else and you will always be given the option to opt out of future updates. Please pass on this training to any other intermediaries who work in Lichfield who you feel may be able to alleviate Fuel Poverty in the district. Thank you for your time Lichfield District Council, Beat the Cold and Marches Energy Agency, working in partnership.