Fuel Debt Advice in the Community 6281-16

Webinars are delivered live by our expert tutors to small groups to ensure a good level of interaction and support for learners.

Free places are available to frontline staff and volunteers that regularly encounter those in or at risk of fuel poverty – i.e. essentially those on a low income / in a vulnerable situation and who are struggling to manage their household bills? Free courses will only be available to non-commercial organisations.

This subject is aimed at frontline staff / volunteers working with low-income and vulnerable households who may be in fuel debt or at risk from fuel debt.

OBJECTIVES

• causes of and identify solutions for fuel debt
• customer, supplier and private landlord responsibilities
• how to read meters, fuel statements and rectify common billing errors
• suppliers’ customer service processes and complaints procedures
• tariff and payment options, Warm Home Discount Scheme, grants and other forms of assistance – including trusts and hardship funds

COURSE CONTENT

• The causes of fuel debt
• Electricity, gas meters and recording consumption
• Consumer, private landlord and fuel supplier’s rights and responsibilities
• Tariff and payment options
• Fuel statements
• Common billing errors
• Definitions of vulnerability used by the energy industry
• Contacting the supplier and complaints procedures
• Switching
• Help available to low-income and vulnerable families – including Priority Services Register, Warm Home Discount Scheme, trust and hardship funds

ASSESSMENT

To gain a Level 2 City & Guilds qualification an option assessment is now available.  This consists of an open book exam which will take a maximum of three hours to complete. Candidates are encouraged to use their course hand-outs to help complete the exam.

DURATION – 3 X half-day (2.5 hour) webinars

HOW WILL THE WEBINAR WORK?

The course will be split across three webinars delivered live via Zoom (video conferencing facility) by our expert tutors to small groups to ensure a good level of interaction and support for learners. Participants will require a device with a camera and sound.

WEBINAR DATES

Learners must attend all three sessions to complete the course and take the exam.

Learners will be asked to join the webinar 15 minutes prior to the start time in order to register.

FURTHER DETAILS

For further information please contact Tracy Norris.

Tel: 0191 269 2946 / E-mail: tracy.norris@nea.org.uk