Blog: Celebrating Refugee Week and the difference made by our Empowered by Energy programme

On World Refugee Day, our Project Development Co-ordinator Rachel considers the ways that our Empowered by Energy project has helped refugees and asylum seekers adjust to life in the UK.

When refugees arrive in the UK they often face many obstacles including the language barrier. When it comes to energy and fuel poverty they are usually adapting to significant changes. The energy systems in their home countries may be very different and if they are arriving from warmer climates they may not be used to using heating regularly, keeping their homes warm, reading a meter or setting up an account with a supplier. That’s where our Empowered by Energy project comes in.

We may not know the situations refugees faced that caused them to leave their home for the safety of the UK. Whether we do or not, we know that most have faced difficulties that are unimaginable to most people. Despite these circumstances, we’ve found that the sessions we run can become positive places for them. They provide an opportunity not only to learn new systems but also to meet other people who have similar experiences, form friendships and learn how to save money at the same time.

Without such support, refugees and asylum seekers can quickly find themselves owing hundreds of pounds to an energy supplier they didn’t know about or enduring cold, damp homes.

Empowered by Energy sessions are delivered in well-established community venues already used and trusted by participants, creating a safe and familiar environment in which attendees feel comfortable asking questions and sharing experiences. Group sizes have been intentionally limited to a maximum of 12 participants to ensure personalised support. This small-group approach allows experienced energy advisers to tailor advice to individual circumstances, provide detailed explanations, and ensure sufficient time for interpretation across multiple languages. As a result, attendees receive advice both relevant to their lived experience and rarely available through other channels. Participants gain the confidence to become energy champions, sharing trusted advice and practical learning with others across their communities.

At one session, a recently resettled refugee from Afghanistan was identified by the partner organisation. He had been placed in unfurnished accommodation with his wife and three young children. National Energy Action provided immediate, practical support by liaising directly with the family’s energy supplier to ensure they were added to the Priority Services Register. This included updating the account to reflect the presence of two children under five and flagging a language barrier, ensuring the family could access appropriate, ongoing support.

Beyond advice, we secured vital household essentials to improve the family’s day-to-day living. An application to a fund resulted in the award of a washing machine, while the partner organisation successfully obtained a gas cooker from the local council. Following the workshop, the family was also given an air fryer, chosen based on workshop guidance around energy-efficient cooking methods to help reduce ongoing energy costs. The family commented that ‘This has really helped our family, especially as we have young children and it has been hard for us to handwash our own clothes.’

The wider impact of the workshops was strongly reflected in partner feedback. The centre manager at Signpost Basildon shared: ‘The feedback from the participants has  been great. They already put into practice the things they learn at the sessions, they really appreciate how well it was explained as English is not their first language, and they really enjoyed the class. They feel more confident and know what to do to get on top of their bills.’

We know that refugees and asylum seekers often have limited support, so it has been fantastic to work with our funders to ensure this vital service is provided.

Whatever languages our clients speak, we try to make our work as accessible as possible as part of the Empowered by Energy Programme. We have leaflets available in Tigrinya, Arabic and other languages. We also have Recite Me, which can translate our website into over 160 languages and do text-to-speech in over 100.