Our Green Doctor service returns to Bedfordshire this year to help even more residents save on energy costs and keep homes warmer
Households across Central Bedfordshire, Luton, and Hertfordshire in need of support with their bills can once again benefit from free one-to-one energy efficiency and money saving advice.
Groundwork Green Doctors are energy efficiency experts who provide free support to individuals and households struggling to heat their homes. They can provide advice over the phone or arrange a home visit to offer practical guidance on energy saving, draught proofing, help to understand bills and they can make referrals to other local support services, including debt advice and food banks.
In some instances, Green Doctors can install energy saving measures such as radiator panels and insulation and provide equipment such as air fryers, dehumidifiers and slow cookers.
A wide range of people are eligible for free support, including people over 65, households with children under 5, those in receipt of benefits and people with physical or mental health conditions. In fact, support from Groundwork’s Green Doctors is completely free and available to those who are:
- Over 65
- Living in households with children under the age of 5
- In receipt of benefits
- Struggling to pay energy bills
- Finding it hard to manage fuel debt
- Getting confused by energy bills
- Owing money to energy suppliers
- Using alternative methods to stay warm – such as staying in bed or wearing lots of clothes indoors
- Worrying about keeping warm or choosing between eating and heating
- Feeling that the home is cold, damp, mouldy or draughty
- Suffering with respiratory problems e.g. asthma or a persistent cough
- Living with physical or mental health conditions
Last year, Groundwork Green doctors visited more than 15,000 homes across the country, identifying savings worth £2.45m, and more than 5000 tonnes of carbon from reduced energy use.
Figures show that 14.2% of households in Bedford are living in fuel poverty, compared to a national average of 13.06% (13.2% across the East of England). With the cut to winter fuel support, more people than ever are finding themselves struggling to heat their homes in the winter and Age UK found that 48% of people over 66 were worried about being unable to heat their homes when they wanted to and 75% were colder in their homes last winter than they wanted to be.
Bedfordshire residents can complete a quick enquiry form via the link below:
Residents can also email greendoctoreast@groundwork.org.uk or phone 01707 260129.
Local agencies such as Councils, housing associations, charities and foodbanks can also signpost residents to the Green Doctor service through promotion and referrals.
We are needed more so now than ever, more people are suffering from the effects of rising energy prices, which is also having a knock-on effect on their wellbeing, including physical and mental health.
What we do initially all depends on the resident’s concerns and situation. Many people are finding themselves struggling for the first time, and it’s always good to be able to see the immediate effects of Green Doctor support in people’s homes. There is so much we can do to help people reduce their energy spend and also help them with other issues.
Terence Carty, Bedfordshire Green Doctor