Hotspots referral initiative - toolkit now available
Welcome to the Hotspots resource page where you'll find information and resources to help you and your local partner organisations to establish your own local Hotspot project.
Hotspots is a cross-referral initiative that aims to engage frontline practitioners as referrers of vulnerable and hard-to-reach households primarily into sources of energy efficiency assistance and advice, income maximisation and home safety services. Hotspots is an adaptable model that can be developed as a standalone initiative or complement existing referral provision. It relies on in-kind support from local agencies and can have minimal core costs which make it an attractive proposition for partnerships operating with tight budgets. The cross-referral nature of provision maximises the range of services that can be provided to households regardless of how they are referred and also supports the achievement of targets across a broad range of local objectives.
"The Hotspots scheme is an effecitve and efficient way to help vulnerable households receive a range of specialist services that can help to remove them from fuel poverty and make them safer in their homes."
Ron Halliday, Councillor, Wakefield MDC
"The Hotspots scheme provides a simple referral process between partner organisations. It has helped to improve the overall services that we provide for our customers."
Sylvia Bryan-Peach, Local Services Manager, DWP
"West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is committed to working in partnership ... to enable a package of affordable warmth, health, financial and fire safety measures to be provided to the general public. In return the Service receives referrals ... many of which are at high risk from fire or related risks."
Phil Toase, Chief Fire Officer/Chief Executive, West Yorkshire
Hotspots rely on a core group of local key agencies that commit to working together on cross-referral activities and to steer local developments - typically the Fire and Rescue Service, Department for Work and Pensions, Primary Care Trust and local energy efficiency/advice providers. At the centre is a coordinating agency, usually the energy advice provider that agrees to manage incoming and out-going referrals to and from core partner agencies. Referrals are actioned by trained frontline practitioners using a referral card (see example below) tailored to reflect local service provision.
Figure 1: Example of Hotspots referral card
Depending on local service provision a range of second-tier partners can join Hotspots as referrers. Typically these partners provide one-way referrals via the coordinating agency so that households they refer can access energy efficiency/ energy advice services, income maximisation support and home safety services provided by core partners.
Hotspots relies on a commitment from partner agencies to act as champions and raise awareness of the service within their own organisations on an ongoing basis. Typically this involves developing short training/awareness sessions for staff in each partner agency. Sessions provide a context for Hotspots, outline how the referral network operates, provide participants with guidance on identifying the signs of fuel poverty and how to action referrals. In some areas session content has been integrated into other training developments to promote mainstreaming of the Hotspots service.
Hotspots partners work together to define the scope of local provision and services. Core partners meet regularly to share intelligence on local developments and referral rates. Regular meetings provide partners with an opportunity to assess progress, identify gaps in provision and highlight current issues as well as discuss future developments.
Background to Hotspots
Hotspots is an initiative pioneered in West Yorkshire which won a national NEA Affordable Warmth, Sustainable World Award for good practice in 2008.
Figure 2: Hotspots West Yorkshire win national award
NEA's Yorkshire and the Humber regional office supported partners in West Yorkshire to develop a Hotspots Toolkit in 2008-09 to help share good practice on the development of Hotspots initiatives. The Toolkit contains a range of practical information and guidance on establishing Hotspots including worked examples of key resources for easy duplication.
Download the toolkit here
Figure 3: Hotspots toolkit
NEA continues to work with West Yorkshire Hotspots partners on promoting the Hotspots concept nationally using good practice drawn from established projects across England.
For additional testimonials and practical advice from Hotspots partners please refer to the online toolkit.
Recent Hotspots Activity
NEA is keen to engage Hotspots across England. If you'd like to share information with others on how your own Hotspot is progressing then get in touch and we'll host information on this site. Local updates and other resources provided by various Hotspots are listed below:
Durham
- Tees and Durham Energy Advice Agency (TADEA) and partners developed the Durham Hotspot. For further information on recent progress contact Sarah Lee, Partnership Officer on 01642 373880
East Cheshire
- NEA is currently developing this Hotspots with local partners. A progress report will be available soon
Medway
- NEA is currently developing this Hotspot with local partners. A progress report will be available soon
North East Lincolnshire
- NEA is currently supporting local partners to re-invigorate the local Hotspots programme. A progress report will be available soon
Southend
- NEA is currently developing this Hotspot with local partners. A progress report will be available soon.
Tees Valley
- NEA supported the development of this Hotspot which is being taken forward by Tees and Durham Energy Advice Agency (TADEA). For further details contact TADEA on 01642 373021
Yorkshire and the Humber
- A progress report on the Hull Hotspot is available here Hull progress report
- South Yorkshire has evaluated its Hotspot - download the report here
- A progress report on the West Yorkshire Hotspot is available here - West Yorkshire report
- A progress report on the York Hotspot is avaialble here York progress report