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Media

Yorkshire and the Humber’s Fuel Poverty Champion Urges Poorest Residents to Make a Call for Free Help 9 April 2009

19,341 people in Leeds are having to spend over 10 per cent of their income to pay their fuel bills. Fuel poverty is on the increase due to pressures on household budgets from the recession combined with homes being inadequately insulated against the British weather.

Fuel poverty disproportionately affects older people, those with disabilities and families living on a low income. National Energy Action (NEA) is calling on residents in Leeds who are worried about heating their home to call the Home Heat Helpline (0800 33 66 99) for access to free home insulation and other help to reduce bills.

A single call to the free helpline can provide direct support including reduced or ‘social’ tariffs, grants for free home insulation and flexible payment options. The disconnection safety net is also in place to ensure that vulnerable customers will not be cut off even if they are unable to pay their bill.

Kath McDaid, NEA Yorkshire and the Humber regional coordinator said: “We need to ensure that people in Leeds stay warm, especially as evening temperatures are still low and the credit crunch continues to squeeze household budgets. That’s why I’m urging anyone in Leeds who is concerned about their fuel costs or those of a relative, neighbour or friend, to call the Home Heat Helpline free of charge on 0800 33 66 99. There will be advisors on hand who can help access new tariffs, free insulation and advice and support on how to keep warm and save money on bills.”

The stepped-up service is also allowing worried householders or their relatives and friends to make enquiries online at www.homeheathelpline.org.uk

Kizzy Sheehan, aged 23 and from Leeds said:

“I’ve got three young kids – Sophie, who’s at school, Tyler and Doante – and right now I’m bringing them up on my own. It’s a struggle to get by and I know a lot of young people like me find it hard to ask for help. As a single mum you feel like you’re being judged and I wanted to prove that I could survive.

“Calling the Home Heat Helpline took a lot of stress and worry away. They got insulation put in for me, arranged with the council to get the old windows replaced, I got put on a different payment plan and they got the interest on my debts stopped and set up a payment plan for those.

Since the helpline was launched late 2005, it has helped more than 100,000 vulnerable households access support.

For more information, ring the Home Heat Helpline on 0800 33 66 99 or log on to www.homeheathelpline.org.uk

For more information about National Energy Action, visit www.nea.org.uk.

ENDS

Notes to editor

For further information, photos or to arrange an interview with a spokesperson for the Home Heat Helpline, please contact: Peter Jenkins, Head of Communications and Media Relations, 020 7104 4161 or Claire Gibson, Senior Press Officer, 020 7104 4162

1. The Home Heat Helpline operates from Monday to Friday 9am-8pm and from 10am-2pm on Saturday.

2. The Home Heat Helpline is a free number – 0800 33 66 99 – providing vulnerable customers with a direct link to specialist teams at their energy supplier, who can deliver one or more of the following services:

• The Priority Service Register which provides extra services for people who are elderly or disabled including bills in large text or Braille, security passwords and an annual gas safety check
• Grants for free home insulation
• Flexible payment options for customers in fuel debt
• Benefits entitlement checks

The disconnection safety net is also in place to ensure that no vulnerable customer will be cut off even if they are unable to pay their bill.

3. The Home Heat Helpline is managed by the Energy Retail Association and paid for by contributions from Britain’s major energy suppliers – see below.

4. The Energy Retail Association (ERA), formed in 2003, represents the major electricity and gas suppliers in the domestic market in Great Britain. All the main energy suppliers operating in the residential market in Great Britain are members of the association – British Gas, EDF Energy, E.ON, npower, Scottish Power, and Scottish and Southern Energy.