Mayor urges Londoners to get help to heat their homes this winter
Thousands of vulnerable Londoners could be missing out on free insulation or help with heating their homes, which will cut fuel bills and save energy. The Mayor Boris Johnson is urging Londoners to find out what help is available as part of this year's 'Know Your Rights' campaign.
Nearly a quarter of Londoners living in fuel poverty
London not receiving fair share of national insulation and heating measures
Many Londoners are unaware that they could be eligible for free and subsidised loft insulation, cavity wall insulation or help with heating their homes . The capital has received less than five per cent of national insulation and heating schemes and Londoners have missed out on £350 million pounds worth of energy efficiency measures due to low take-up rates.The ‘Know Your Rights’ campaign aims to encourage people to call the Home Heat Helpline on 0800 33 66 99 or contact their local advice centre for help.
The Know Your Rights campaign, which is in its fourth year, is carried out in partnership with a wide range of organisations including the Home Heat Helpline, Capitalise, Citizens Advice, Age UK London, London Councils, Rightsnet, and the DWP Pensions Disability and Carers Service. The campaign follows announcements last week from government and energy companies encouraging customers to check their tariffs, switch suppliers, and insulate their homes. Nearly a quarter of London households are in fuel poverty, meaning they are spending more than 10 per cent of their income on fuel after housing costs. Increasing energy bills, fewer pay increases and inflation is squeezing household incomes and families are struggling to pay their bills.
Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said:
"Retrofitting London is at the top of my to do list, not only will it save you money and save carbon but it is boosting the economy by creating vital jobs. There is help available for vulnerable Londoners to get their homes insulated, lagged and warm this winter, so fight the freeze and get the help you're entitled to."
The Deputy Mayor of London, Richard Barnes, launched the campaign today at a local Age UK London event in Brixton helping older people to keep their homes warm this winter.
Deputy Mayor of London, Richard Barnes, said:
"Each year, people who are eligible to claim help often miss out because they are unaware of what is available. As the temperatures drop, we want to ensure that vulnerable Londoners, including older people, those with disabilities and families on low incomes get the help they are entitled to by calling the Home Heat Helpline or by contacting their local advice centre, where they can also receive a full benefit check and find out if they are eligible to financial help as well as free debt advice."
Chair of London Councils' Transport and Environment Committee, Councillor Catherine West said:
"Thousands of old and vulnerable people across London are living in fuel poverty, often forced to choose between heating and eating. The massive rise in energy prices and cost of living is only making the problem worse. Londoners struggling in fuel poverty need to ensure they're claiming all the help they're entitled to this winter including for those who are eligible the new Winter Home Discount. The capital's old and draughty homes also need to be better insulated. All of London's boroughs are involved in the RE:NEW retrofitting project but there is a lot more still to be done."
Samantha Mauger of Age UK London, said:
"Every winter thousands of older Londoners become ill or die unnecessarily because of the cold. For many people it's a struggle to keep their homes warm enough to combat the cold weather and then pay their heating bills. However, with the right support, it doesn’t have to be this way. Age UK London is proud to be involved in the ‘Know Your Rights’ campaign which is helping older people to insulate their homes and save money.”
Peter Jenkins from the Home Heat Helpline, said:
“We are delighted that the Mayor and his team are launching this campaign to encourage Londoners to check they are claiming all the help they are entitled to this winter. The Home Heat Helpline is a free service, funded by the UK’s main energy companies and staffed by independent advisers, designed to help people worried about paying their energy bills this winter. I would urge anyone who thinks they may be eligible for help to call 0800 33 66 99.”
Citizens Advice Chief Executive Gillian Guy said:
“We urge people to check that they’re not missing out on any benefits and credits that could help them cut the cost of keeping warm this winter.”
The Home Heat Helpline is staffed by fully trained advisors who offer advice to people on grants for free home insulation and those struggling to pay their fuel bills. They transfer customers to the ‘vulnerable customers’ department of their energy company to get the help they need. The information posters and leaflets will appear on buses and in GP surgeries, libraries, children’s centres and community centres across London.
Age UK is running several awareness-raising events across London aimed at helping older people to find out if they are eligible to claim help with their energy bills, advice on whether they can claim help with insulating their homes as well as energy saving tips.
The energy companies are obliged to help fuel poor households, which is why there is lots of help available now. The Warm Homes Discount obliges suppliers to provide rebates of £120 to vulnerable customers. The Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) obliges energy suppliers to make savings in the amount of CO2 emitted by households, primarily by installing loft and cavity wall insulation, including to those in fuel poverty. There is also the Warm Front Scheme which provides a package of insulation and heating improvements targeted at those struggling to keep warm affordably in private sector housing.
This campaign is running alongside RE:NEW, the Mayor’s homes energy efficiency programme which is currently being rolled out in in all London boroughs. The Mayor’s funding will retrofit 55,000 homes with energy efficiency measures across the capital by May 2012. Some of the RE:NEW areas are located in some of London’s most deprived wards. All homes in RE:NEW areas are offered benefits checks alongside their home energy surveys. RE:NEW is not an 'on-demand' service and is being delivered on an area by area basis because trials showed this approach resulted in more cost-effective and higher take up.
To find out if you are in an area which is getting the RE:NEW treatment go to:-
http://www.london.gov.uk/priorities/environment/climate-change/energy-efficiency/RENEW/get-involved
