Fuel Poverty Awareness Day – Support on hand for those suffering from fuel poverty

Shropshire Council are today (Friday 28 November 2020) taking part in a national campaign to raise awareness and highlight the support available to those who are struggling to heat their homes.

Fuel Poverty Awareness Day led by national charity National Energy Action (NEA), aims to highlight the issues around fuel poverty and encourage people to seek support to help them keep safe and warm at home.

Shropshire Council, along with its partners, offer a range of support and advice to help those in fuel poverty or facing other financial worries. These include:

  • Keep Shropshire Warm – a programme run for the council and Marches Energy Agency (MEA) that offers free and impartial energy advice to anyone in need in Shropshire.  Local advisors can support residents with a range of energy concerns, from accessing grant funding to switching supplier or resolving fuel debt issues. A new Smarten Up, Power Down project has recently launched, offering practical support to householders who are finding it harder to afford energy bills due to the impact of Covid-19. Residents who require help and support can contact the Keep Shropshire Warm team for free on 0800 112 3743 or via email at advice@mea.org.uk.
  • Warmer Homes Shropshire – launched in May this year, this initiative run in partnership with E. On, offers free grants to eligible households for first time central heating. The scheme is open to homeowners, as well as private tenants and their landlords. For more information and to apply visit http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/warmer-homes-shropshireor call 0333 202 4481.
  • Financial assistance – The council now has a range of funding available to help the most vulnerable of Shropshire’s households to manage over the winter months. This includes financial help for those eligible and who have been affected by the pandemic and who may be struggling to pay for food or other essential outgoings. Please note this is limited funding and will only be offered for a limited time until it is spent. To find out more call 0345 678 9078.
  • The Shropshire Rural Communities Charity (RCC) – offer grants for emergency fuel and energy-saving improvements in people’s homes. The RCC work with the council and other organisations to find people most in need and provide them with insulation, draft exclusion and other energy saving measures. The RCC are currently running their annual Warmer Winter Appeal to help support local people living in fuel poverty. To find out more and to donate visit. https://www.shropshire-rcc.org.uk/support-our-work/warmer-winter-appeal

To support the campaign follow us @shropcouncil hashtag #FuelPovertyAwarenessDay #WarmSafeHomes or on Facebook. You can also follow the Keep Shropshire Warm team on Facebook @KeepShropshireWarm

To find out more about the support available during the pandemic, call the council’s Covid community helpline on 0345 678 028. 

You can find out more about Fuel Poverty Awareness Day at  https://www.nea.org.uk/nea-campaigns/fpad/?parent=what-we-do

If you know someone who is struggling to keep their home heated, please make them aware of the help that is available.