NEWS: New research finds a solid social infrastructure plays a key role in helping people out of fuel poverty
New research by community charity, Groundwork has found that a strong social infrastructure is vital when supporting people living in fuel poverty – a finding that has become even more necessary since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The ‘Energising Communities: Lessons learned through tackling fuel poverty during a pandemic’ report, highlights that community plays a vital role in facilitating connections between households in need of advice and services and programmes designed to help them, so that people don’t feel either ashamed, worried or simply unaware of the help that is available to them.
Findings have also found that more households are in need of advice and support than before March 2020, with more complex cases among the households engaging with the service.
Given Covid-19 restrictions, this support was done over the phone with Groundwork Green Doctors on hand to offer energy efficiency advice that helped to keep people warm and well, save money as well as helping net zero and climate change efforts.
The report is the findings of the ‘Energising Communities’ programme that launched during March 2020 at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Graham Duxbury, Groundwork’s UK Chief Executive, said:
Supporting people out of fuel poverty goes so much further than fitting a draft excluder advising on a cheaper energy tariff. By giving people control over their energy consumption helps to ensure that people can improve both their physical and mental wellbeing and benefit from a healthier home, as well as well as having the potential to help ‘level up’ communities, through tackling health inequalities and ensuring a just transition as we tackle climate change.
Find out more about Groundwork Green Doctors
Notes to Editors
For more information, please email media@groundwork.org.uk