BLOG: The time is now – help Groundwork take action and support people trapped in fuel poverty
By Graham Duxbury, Groundwork’s UK Chief Executive
It’s been a period of seismic political change. In the UK we have a new Government and a new-look opposition who now have to grapple with an unpredictable transition in the US. It’s also been a period when the impacts and threat of climate change have become even more real with shocking extreme weather events unfolding around the globe.
The challenge for politicians lies in finding long-term solutions while also improving the lives of people suffering now from the consequences of this instability.
People trapped in energy debt are at the sharp end, buffeted by the fall-out from events beyond their control – a volatile global energy market, high inflation driving up household bills, insecure work and over-stretched public services.
The Government’s budget did little to bring immediate relief. Although there is a welcome commitment to tackling the underlying causes of fuel poverty through a long-term plan to improve the energy efficiency of our housing stock (which loses heat quicker than any in Europe), the loss of winter fuel payments and the inexorable rise in the energy price cap mean many thousands will continue living in dire circumstances.
Groundwork’s Green Doctors have never been in more demand and the services they provide have never been more vital. Day in day out they visit people in their homes to provide practical advice on how to keep warm, how to manage debt and how to get additional help. What began as a single project in Leicester 20 years ago is now a national service which last year saw us visiting more than 15,000 homes and helping more than 50,000 people.
In recent years what Green Doctors have seen – and what they can do to help – has changed. They encounter many more working families who are not eligible for other support and are just getting by. They meet people only heating one room, not using their heating at all, only eating cold food or skipping meals altogether. Some people are resorting to unsafe electrical appliances while incidences of life-threatening damp and mould are on the rise.
Sometimes improvements can be made quickly. Fitting simple energy efficiency measures or showing someone how to use their heating controls can lower bills. Sometimes it’s a longer journey – negotiating with energy suppliers, applying for additional financial help or tracking down landlords to undertake repairs. For the most vulnerable and isolated just having someone to talk to can make a world of difference.
As we head into what, for many, will be another difficult winter, we’re asking for your help. Despite the growth of our Green Doctor service, we can’t meet demand. As a charity, our costs are also rising.
To continue helping people in hardship we need to work with more partners. If you work in the fields of housing, health or debt advice, can we link up to make sure we’re reaching the people that need help the most? If you run a business that wants to make a difference to your local community, can you donate or encourage your employees to fundraise to help? If you’re a charity providing other services to people in vulnerable circumstances, can you share our online resources providing practical advice on how to keep warm and well?
No-one should ever have to choose between heating and eating, but we know this is the reality for increasing numbers of people. You can find out more information and pledge your support here.
Notes to editors
For more information please contact: media@groundwork.org.uk
About Groundwork
Groundwork is a federation of charities with a collective mission to take practical action to create a fair and green future in which people, places, and nature thrive. We support communities and businesses to build capacity and resilience in order to tackle hardship, achieve a just transition to net-zero and help nature recover in a way that reduces inequality and leads to healthier, happier lives for all: www.groundwork.org.uk