Glossary

A

Age UK Energy

A joint initiative between e.on and Age UK. It offers a number of benefits for customers: free energy advice, discounts on energy saving products and services, guaranteed cold weather payments of £10 for all gas and dual fuel customers (£20 for those aged 80 or over). Gas customers over 60 may also receive an additional payment based on the number of days below 0 degrees Centigrade between December and February.

Age UK Energy: More information

B

BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM)

BRE Environmental Assessment Method is the leading and most widely used environmental assessment method for buildings. It sets the standard for best practice in sustainable design and has become the measure used to describe a building's environmental performance.

British Gas Energy Trust

The British Gas Energy Trust, which incorporates the Scottish Gas Energy Trust, is an independent Charitable Trust established in September 2004 which aims to contribute to the fight against poverty. Covering England, Scotland and Wales it is the one of the first Trusts of its kind and makes a significant difference to those in need. Grants are available to help individuals and families in need to meet arrears of energy charges and other household bills and costs. The Trust will also fund voluntary sector organisations to provide money advice services and money management education projects. The Trust is overseen by a number of independent, unpaid Trustees and is managed on a day-to-day basis by Charis, an organisation which has significant grant making experience

British Gas Energy Trust: More information

C

Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT)

An obligation on energy suppliers to achieve targets for promoting reductions in carbon emissions in the household sector.

Carbon Emissions Reduction Target See: Energy Company Obligation

Centre for Sustainable Energy (CES)

CES helps people and organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors meet the twin challenges of rising energy costs and climate change. This is done by giving advice, managing innovative energy projects, training others to act, and undertaking research and policy analysis.

Centre for Sustainable Energy (CES): More information

Cold Weather Payments

Payment made during a period of exceptionally severe weather to vulnerable households on Income Support or Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance.

Cold Weather Payments: More information

Combined Heat and Power (CHP)

Utilising the waste heat from electricity generation can provide more efficient and much cheaper electricity and heating for households served by community heating. Domestic CHP units for individual properties or small groups of properties are likely to be available soon.

Community Energy Savings Programme (CESP)

CESP was created as part of the previous government's Home Energy Saving Programme. It requires gas and electricity suppliers to deliver energy saving measures to domestic consumers in specific low income areas of Great Britain. CESP has been designed to promote a 'whole house' approach and to treat as many properties as possible in defined areas. The Department for Climate Change (DECC) are responsible for setting the overall CESP target and the policy framework and Ofgem is responsible for administering the programme. It is due to run until 2012-13.

Community Energy Savings Programme (CESP): More information

Community Energy Solutions (CES)

A non-profit distributing organisation committed to helping to bring affordable warmth to those in off-gas communities. They look to extend gas mains supplies into these communities. Where that isn't possible, they help communities and individuals explore the wealth of new renewable energy solutions available to them.

Community Energy Solutions (CES): More information

Consumer Focus

The body that represents energy consumers. It replaced the National Consumer Council, energywatch and Postwatch.

Consumer Focus: More information

D

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills - ministerial department of the UK Government created on June 6th 2009 by the merger of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR).

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS): More information

Department for Social Development (DSD)

The DSD was established in December 1999 as part of the Northern Ireland Executive. It has a strategic responsibility for urban regeneration, community and voluntary sector development, social legislation, housing, social security benefits, pensions and child support.

Department for Social Development (DSD): More information

Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)

DECC was created in October 2008, to bring together energy policy (previously with BERR, which is now BIS - the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) and climate change mitigation policy (previously with DEFRA - the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).

Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC): More information

Department of Social Policy and Social Work (SPSW)

The Department of Social Policy and Social Work (SPSW) at York is one of the leading UK centres for teaching and research in social policy, social work, applied social science and professional development for public management.

Department of Social Policy and Social Work (SPSW): More information

Disabled Lliving Foundation

The Disabled Living Foundation is a national charity that provides free, impartial advice about all types of disability equipment and mobility products for older and disabled people, their carers and families. They have created the Ask SARA (Self Assessment, Rapid Access) website that can provide useful hints and tips about ways to make your life easier, details of products that might help you, and details of where you can obtain them. Advice on heating and cooling for the elderly and disabled can be found in this section.

Disabled Lliving Foundation: More information

E

Energy Company Obligation (ECO)

The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) will take over from the existing obligations the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) and the Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP). These existing obligations are due to end in December 2012 and the ECO will take over in addressing energy efficiency in the domestic sector. Details of what this obligation will look like are yet to be confirmed however it is good to be aware of this funding source and start thinking about how you could take advantage of this once it is launched.

Energy Company Obligation (ECO): More information

H

Home Energy Conservation Act (HECA)

The Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 (HECA) places an obligation on local authorities to draw up plans to increase domestic energy efficiency in their area by 30% over 10-15 years. The objectives of the Act are to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), and hence help to combat climate change, while also reducing fuel poverty.

Home Energy Conservation Act (HECA): More information

L

Low Carbon Network Fund (LCNF)

LCNF is an Ofgem administered fund of £500m in total that will be spent over the course of 5 years. The fund aims to incentivise network and customer facing innovation in the area of demand management and will subsidise demonstration projects which aim to explore and resolve some of the big issues we face as we set up and run smart electricity grids for the future. Successful projects will teach us how to mitigate / defer some of the potential investment in electricity network infrastructure which could otherwise be required in the UK over the next 20 or so years to accommodate our growing appetite for electricity – this is likely to total billions of pounds unless action is taken now!

N

National Energy Action (NEA)

The national fuel poverty and energy efficiency charity

National Energy Action (NEA): More information

NEA See: National Energy Action

O

Ofgem

Ofgem is the Office of the Gas and Electricity Markets. Its primary role is to protect consumers by promoting competition, wherever appropriate, and regulating the monopoly companies which run the gas and electricity networks.

Ofgem: More information

S

Social Policy and Social Work Department See: Department of Social Policy and Social Work

W

Warm Front (Warm Front)

Please note that the Warm Front scheme has now ended.