Consultancy and partnerships

National Energy Action’s expert consultancy ensures that energy efficiency, regulatory compliance and support for vulnerable customers are built into your project from the ground up.  

As a leading voice for people at risk of fuel poverty, we bring decades of expertise to our partnerships and have an unrivalled record of delivering cost-effective, sustainable and innovative solutions.

Our consultancy teams work with local authorities, housing associations and industry stakeholders so that everyone can afford to live in a warm, safe and healthy home. By working with National Energy Action, your organisation can make a genuine difference to people living in fuel poverty. 

Find out more about our consultancy services below, or email partnerships@nea.org.uk to discuss your project with us. 

Inclusive systems are vital in giving vulnerable and low-income customers equal access to services. Working as a critical friend, we help suppliers and manufacturers to deliver against and exceed Ofgem’s Consumer Vulnerability Strategy.  

After an expert review of your existing policies, services and processes, we provide highly targeted action plans. These will improve customer journeys, call scripts and consumer-facing materials. We provide training for call centre staff and use our unique understanding of the policy and regulation landscape to develop voluntary charters that anticipate and exceed new regulations. With our emphasis on inclusive design, you can be confident you’re providing a welcoming and accessible service for all your customers.

National Energy Action has over 20 years experience in developing Affordable Warmth Strategies and accompanying action plans for local authorities and social landlords. We devise ambitious visions and provide the delivery pathways and step-by-step action plans that turn ambitions into reality. Bringing together stakeholders across multiple sectors, we excel at cohesive and collaborative approaches. To find our more about our tailored solutions and support for combined and local authorities please see here.

 

Awarding grants

National Energy Action has over 40 years’ experience of delivering solutions to fuel poverty with a UK reach. Our vision is ‘no one living in fuel poverty’ and our focus is working to deliver this aspiration. Providing grant funding to local organisations has always been part of our work programme as we believe that partnership working is the key to tackling fuel poverty.  

Over the years our grant-giving capacity has expanded significantly. We have designed, developed and delivered many exciting and innovative grant programmes, funding a range of organisations and enabling them to deliver their own energy-related projects and provide support to people in fuel poverty.  As a result, these grant-funded programmes have directly benefited thousands of households through advice and energy efficiency measures, and millions indirectly through awareness-raising in communities. In some instances, it has allowed us to lever other funds, build capacity and to improve and share understanding of solutions to fuel poverty and opportunities to better target assistance.  

National Energy Action has extensive experience of teaching underrepresented or underserved customers. With projects such as our National Grid Programme we help industry and other stakeholders to reach the people who are in the greatest need, and those who might not present for help and support themselves.

Drawing on decades of expertise, we provide advice on consultation strategies that accommodate all your customers. Our innovative methods encourage broad participation, boosting the ultimate effectiveness of your project. 

As we move towards a low-carbon future, at National Energy Action we are determined that nobody is left behind. We know that innovation has the potential to help people manage their energy use, stay warmer and keep healthier. Inclusive design and effective service-user engagement are essential in ensuring that everyone benefits from energy efficiency developments.

Our industry-leading team trials new technologies in fuel-poor households to test innovative methods and technologies to understand how they affect comfort, warmth and energy use. 

Our social and technical research analyses domestic energy flows and assesses the impacts of interventions on the people receiving them. Everything we do is with people in mind. We make sure interventions offer the greatest benefit, are inclusive and work towards helping people stay warm and well in their home. 

Working with partners, we design, run and analyse resident questionnaires, energy and environmental data capture and analysis, thermal analysis, and energy performance surveys (RdSAP and retrofit assessment). We also provide comprehensive reporting and support with dissemination. 

If you’d like to discuss your consultancy needs with a member of our team, please email us on partnerships@nea.org.uk. You can read more about our innovation and technical evaluation work here. Find out more about our policy and research work here.