“My teenager covers himself in layers to keep warm …”

This small-scale pilot project, run in partnership with UK Power Networks, supports people with mental health issues and their carers.

For nearly four decades, NEA has partnered with local and national government, health bodies, industry and a wide range of local organisations to deliver practical solutions to improve health and wellbeing and address housing as a key social determinant of ill-health

Cold, damp and unsafe homes continue to cause shocking levels of unnecessary hardship and premature mortality. Across the UK, NEA estimates that on average more than 10,000 people die each year due to living in a cold home[i]. In England Wales where the proposals within this consultation will apply, excess winter deaths have risen by nearly 20% last winter.

NEA has helped secure institutional awareness for the health impacts of living in a cold home and how these can be addressed through preventative health-related fuel poverty schemes.

Our Steps to Affordable Warmth videos take the viewer through the different stages required to keep them warm, well and safe in their home as well as advising on extra benefits and energy discounts they may be entitled to. With BSL signing.

The Warm Home Discount (WHD) scheme currently provides a payment of £140 (inclusive of VAT) towards energy bills, and also contains provisions to carry out projects to help low-income and vulnerable households to better afford their energy bill. The scheme was introduced by the Government in April 2011 and is an obligation on energy suppliers funded through bills.

NEA worked with Macmillan Cancer Support to identify vulnerable households at risk of fuel poverty, living in a cold home and experiencing ill health. The fund supported the provision of energy efficiency and heating measures to householders identified as ‘in need’.

The evaluation consortium has been working together on evaluating the impacts of the Warm Homes Fund (WHF) over the winter of 2019-2020 and has heard first-hand of the very significant and positive effects that the funding has had on the lives of many families and households.