People at risk of fuel poverty set to be supported in Northamptonshire

The charity, which helps people access welfare benefits, manage and move out of debt, save energy, stay in and also heat their homes, has this month been awarded £392,000 funding from the British Gas Energy Trust.

Community Law Service Chief Executive Sarah Hayle explained: “This funding will enable us to help more than 2,150 people over the next two years who are living in or at risk of fuel poverty with specialist advice and casework covering everything from managing and writing off debt, energy efficiency advice income maximisation and resolving benefit problems.

“The British Gas Energy Trust has been supporting us since 2014 and we are incredibly proud and excited to again receive this life-changing funding. We will be working county-wide, with a particular focus on Northampton and Wellingborough.”

Thanks to the funding Community Law Service has been able to employ four full time money and energy advisors. These advisors are experts in their field and are here to advise and support local residents who are facing hardship.

Community Law Service is one of just 38 frontline organisations in England, Scotland and Wales to be selected for this funding.

To date Community Law Service has advised more than 10,000 households in Northamptonshire thanks to funding from the British Gas Energy Trust, supporting those households to manage debts of more than £7.7million and securing additional income of £37.8 million.

Over the last two decades, British Gas Energy Trust has helped millions of people in fuel debt with community-based money and energy advice, energy debt grants and emergency fuel vouchers, with a total investment of £200million.

The Trust funded projects programme, SCARP (Supporting Communities at Risk Programme), funds charities across England, Scotland, and Wales, who offer a holistic approach to fuel poverty, treating not only the symptoms but causes that often create a cycle of fuel deprivation.

Jessica Taplin CEO of the Trust said: “I am thrilled that the Trust can continue this essential support across Britain. These funded money and energy advice services address root causes of fuel poverty such as poor money management and home energy inefficiency with an increased focus on the holistic support of increasingly complex cases and energy advice.”

Since 2020, 250,000 people and households accessed support and help with £90million of debt managed, £25m of debt written off and £67m in income gains, thanks to Trust funded projects.

Between April 2022 and March 2023 Trust-funded advisers supported over 24,000 clients to increase their income by nearly £16m per annum and write off over £5 million in debt.

This was achieved through over 60,000 hours of casework support which enabled budget plans, income maximisation checks, home energy surveys and various education sessions to be delivered at the point of need for people who were significantly impacted by the cost-of-living crisis.

To seek assistance from Community Law Service’s British Gas Energy Trust project call 01604 235709 or email [email protected].

For more information on Community Law Service’s other services visit: https://www.communitylawservice.org.uk/ or email [email protected].