_Explainer Booklet FINAL (1)

WARM HOMES HEALTHY FUTURES

A nationally co-ordinated, locally delivered programme, implemented at scale to make lasting differences to people’s health.

By working together, everyone can live in warm, healthy homes.

www. healthywww.nea.org.uk/ futures

nea.org.uk/projects/warm-homesfutures projects/warm-homes-healthy-

Who we are

National Energy Action (NEA) is the national fuel poverty charity. We’ve worked across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland for over 40 years to ensure that everyone can afford to live in a warm, healthy home. ​ ​ ogether with frontline practitioners, companies, T regulators and governments, National Energy Action works to support vulnerable clients, raise awareness and achieve enduring change.

WWW.NEA.ORG.UK

NATIONAL ENERGY ACTION

Everyone should live in a warm, healthy home Cold, damp, poor quality homes are disastrous for our health and wellbeing, and costly to the health

Our recent polling showed 49% of GB adults were likely to ration energy use in the next three months.

But those with certain health conditions were more likely to expect to ration their heating:

and social care systems. Tackling fuel poverty is a public health priority.

Arthritis

In response, National Energy Action established Warm Homes, Healthy Futures: Futures: a large-scale nationally co-ordinated network of local services

62%

connecting the dots between fuel poverty and health.

Working across England, Scotland, and Wales, Warm Homes, Healthy Futures establishes pathways for health and social care professionals to connect the

Asthma

58%

vulnerable people they support to vital energy and CO safety advice, income maximisation and essential gas appliance servicing.

It also offers other related crisis support, working

Heart condition

57%

to ensure that everyone can live warm, safe, and healthy lives at home.

Mental health condition

58% * Polling by National Energy Action and YouGov NATIONAL ENERGY ACTION

WWW.NEA.ORG.UK

What’s the problem?

Millions of households in the UK are living

household bills by hundreds of pounds.

in fuel poverty unable to afford adequate

Many households depend on energy

energy to stay warm, healthy, and

to run medical equipment or store

comfortable at home.

medication.

We know that cold, damp, poor quality

This creates a vicious cycle of fuel poverty

homes are devastating for our physical

for those most vulnerable who can’t

and mental health.

afford enough energy to stay warm and

Health impacts of cold home-related illness cost the NHS an estimated

well, and then need more energy because of a diagnosis.

£1.4bn per year and lead to thousands

We also know people are discharged back

of preventable, avoidable deaths each

to the homes that made them sick, unable

year. Being unwell often makes life more

to afford energy and other essentials they

expensive. A diagnosis can increase

need to get well and stay well.

What’s the solution?

Warm Homes, Healthy Futures

offer free, impartial, and confidential

is designed with people’s needs at

energy and benefits advice and

its heart, ensuring those with health

support.

conditions and disabilities get the right support to live in a warm, healthy home.

National Energy Action – the national

We know that professionals in the health and social care sectors are trusted by their patients and understand their circumstances best.

fuel poverty charity – is leading a network of partners to connect the

That’s why they play a vital role

dots with health and social care to

in identifying those in need.

WWW.NEA.ORG.UK

NATIONAL ENERGY ACTION

Together, we are supporting tens of thousands of people across England, Scotland, and Wales, through: Advice and support with energy supply and bills, and energy saving measures

Carbon Monoxide awareness and provision of free CO alarms

NATIONAL ENERGY ACTION

Benefits checks, income maximisation and claim support

Essential servicing of gas boilers and gas appliances

Access to further crisis support, for example, Winter Warmth Support packs and fuel vouchers

Information and support signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR)

Access to grants for repair and replacement boilers and other measures such as insulation

WWW.NEA.ORG.UK

Raising awareness We are raising awareness in communities and training frontline professionals on the health risks of cold, damp homes and CO safety.

Extensive insight and evidence feed into essential work to understand, inform, engage, and influence.

Our programme uses economic and social research to explore in depth the impacts on health and the richness of lived experience for people supported and those providing the support.

“

“

The enthusiasm from energy, housing and health professionals has been incredible in building this network. We’re thrilled that the Warm Homes, Healthy Futures programme is now delivering vital support, helping create warmer, safer and healthier homes, while strengthening collaboration to tackle fuel poverty and health inequalities.’

Dr Danielle Butler, Head of Development, National Energy Action

Flexibility is key At the heart of the network is flexibility. Working closely with health, fuel poverty, and housing experts, the programme critically draws on local and regional intelligence to understand and shape delivery.

This involves careful and meaningful consideration of key health priorities, gaps in support, and local need and uses this to set the direction for which health conditions and disabilities to focus on, and which health and social care professionals to work with.

WWW.NEA.ORG.UK

NATIONAL ENERGY ACTION

Who are we working with?

In the first year of Warm Homes, Healthy Futures we have connected with more than ten thousand people living with health conditions and disabilities made worse or difficult to manage by cold, damp homes.

This support has reached people in more than 80 places across Great Britain, working with a network of more than 25 trusted organisations, and over 150 health and social care professionals.

Our connections with the health and social care system have deepened, harnessing existing connections and building new ones with GPs, social prescribers, cancer care, pharmacists, mental health services, community health, adult social care, and more.

NATIONAL ENERGY ACTION

WWW.NEA.ORG.UK

THE DELIVERY MODEL healthyfutures@nea.org.uk

➤

➤ Health and

Client

social care

➤ ➤ professionals

➤

e.g.

e.g. Social workers A nationally co-ordinated network of connected health and fuel poverty support WWW.NEA.ORG.UK

NATIONAL ENERGY ACTION

➤

➤ ➤

e.g. GPs

. Social prescribers

➤

➤

Network of advice services In-depth energy and benefits advice and support including: triage, energy casework, benefit entitlement checks, servicing, Carbon Monoxide monitors

Led by National Energy Action NATIONAL ENERGY ACTION

WWW.NEA.ORG.UK

Grace’s story: Easing financial strain and restoring comfort Struggling with illness and unable to work, Grace and her partner faced mounting energy debt and rising costs. She had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and then sadly her mum had died. When their fridge freezer broke, managing meals became even harder.

After hearing about Warm Homes, Healthy Futures from her cancer nurse, Grace received vital energy advice and support. With practical, tailored support, Grace regained financial stability, a warmer home, and peace of mind.

ENERGY DEBT RELIEF £147 in vouchers and supplier negotiations reduced her repayments to just £2 per month.

WINTER WARMTH SUPPORT PACK providing essentials for warmth and security.

ACCESS TO A £700 CREDIT for her energy account.

ESSENTIAL APPLIANCES a crisis fund replaced her fridge freezer, helping her store meals.

ONGOING SUPPORT added to the Priority Services Register for continued assistance.

“

When I spoke to Grace on the phone for the first time, I could hear the desperation in her voice. She was struggling. It was such a rewarding feeling being able to do a couple of small acts of kindness during such a difficult time..

National Energy Action Energy Adviser

WWW.NEA.ORG.UK

NATIONAL ENERGY ACTION

What our clients have told us...

“

Thank you for your patience and help and for chatting to me like I was a normal person. What I have found is that a lot of people I used to see are no longer around, it is like they don’t want to talk to me in case I pass the cancer on to them.

“

With the support you gave me, I had my heating on for six hours a day, instead of an hour.

NATIONAL ENERGY ACTION

“ “

Thank you so much for helping me with my health conditions and air fryer and new cooker.

I wouldn’t have got through this winter without you. I would have ended up back in jail because I needed the money for food or leccy, or I would have died.

[My adviser] phoned me back and went you’ve been accepted. Wow, I cried that night. I was so relieved. I can’t praise you enough.

WWW.NEA.ORG.UK

Where to find us Email:healthyfutures@nea.org.uk Web: www.nea.org.uk/whhf

Join the conversation Twitter/X: @NEA_UKCharity Bluesky: @nea.org.uk Instagram: www.instagram.com/nea_ukcharity Linked In: www.linkedin.com/company/national-energy-action Facebook: www.facebook.com/nationalenergyaction

NEA is an independent charity, Registration No. 290511. Company limited by guarantee. Registered in England, No. 1853927 Registered office: Wellbar, Level 8, 36 Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4TDTel: 0191 261 5677