North West-based energy services company, Making Energy Greener, has launched a new initiative to educate the public on fuel poverty and its impact on vulnerable people. The North West Warmth and Wellbeing initiative comes as part of Making Energy Greener’s continued investment in helping vulnerable households access funding, spot the early signs of fuel poverty and save thousands of pounds of their energy bills.
Through the launch of its initiative, Making Energy Greener aims to extend its reach to numerous households, focusing on three key demographics: households with a total income of less than £31,000; households receiving government benefits such as universal credit, income support or pension credit; and individuals who meet the vulnerability criteria defined by NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence). This includes people with certain medical conditions, disabilities or the elderly who are more susceptible to the adverse effects of cold or fuel poverty.
In response to the ongoing fuel poverty crisis, some of its initiatives include the creation of an interactive live-chat function that enables individuals to not only assess their eligibility for government support schemes based on income and vulnerability but also make it as easy as possible for vulnerable households to complete applications and access much-needed retrofit advice. Making Energy Greener will also establish a helpline for eligible households to inquire about available assistance while building on the 8,000 surveys, 4,000 heating controls, 6,000 heating systems and 17,000 total ECO measures the company has already completed.
In addition, Making Energy Greener has also made a substantial investment in creating 12 unique videos with the desire to educate the general public. It will also continue its ongoing conversations with a number of grassroots organisations and community leaders with the purpose of bridging the gap between the most unreachable people in society and the large energy companies.
MEG delivers deep retrofit and energy-efficient heating systems for homes across the country. By launching its Warm and Wellbeing initiative – as well as working with local authorities, energy companies, housing associations and landlords – it is its ambition to make every home in the country an eco-home and help eradicate fuel poverty in line with the goal of reaching net zero 2050.
Rebecca Armstrong, managing director, MEG, said:
“As a family business, I understand acutely the problems a lot of people are facing at the moment when it comes to fuel poverty. This is a very real issue impacting people across the North West. Everyone should have the fundamental right to affordable clean energy and this is why I have decided to launch the North West warm and wellbeing initiative in order to help vulnerable people access significant amounts of funding during the extremely colder months. Indeed, I want to make it as easy as possible for vulnerable people to access advice and support.”
MEG now has access to LA Flex funding in multiple regions across the UK from the Wirral, Liverpool City Region, Manchester City Region, Fylde to Shropshire and Wales, LA Flex funding is available to residents who have a low household income or an illness made worse by living in a cold home making them vulnerable to fuel poverty.