20,000 homes in Plymouth are eligible for home heating assistance
Alison Seabeck, MP for Plymouth Moor View, calls out to local residents to prepare for winter
As British households prepare to face the cold winter, new research reveals that 20,000 households in Plymouth are eligible for assistance from their energy supplier with heating their homes. The findings from Home Heat Helpline show that a total of 3.6 million households across Great Britain qualify for help.
18% of homes in Plymouth are entitled to relief from energy companies this year. Households that qualify include low income pensioners, disadvantaged families with children or those with a disability, or any household that lives in one of the most deprived areas in the country.
Alison Seabeck MP said: “Forecasters are predicting a cold winter ahead, and many people who are elderly or on low incomes may not know where to turn for help and advice on keeping their homes warm. I have been out knocking on doors on Saturdays in areas where I know there are a large number of older residents to check that they know what is available to them. We should all check on our neighbours especially if the weather turns very cold.”
“The best way for people in Plymouth to prepare is to act now, and call the Home Heat Helpline on 0800 33 66 99 to see if they’re eligible for assistance, or visit www.homeheathelpline.org.uk”
Angela Knight, Chief Executive, Energy UK: “The research speaks for itself - some local authorities have close to half of all households eligible for help from their energy supplier.”
“We need to look at ways to improve efficiency to keep homes warmer and energy bills lower. A free, confidential call to the Home Heat Helpline on 0800 33 66 99 can be made in minutes and can save up to £300 per home.”
Support includes insulation and boilers, with many elderly and low income families qualifying for the £135 Warm Home Discount on energy bills.
The British Energy Aid Report, carried out by the New Policy Institute on behalf of Home Heat Helpline, has also analysed the number of households eligible for assistance across each country, major city and local authority in Great Britain.
Vulnerable households are urged to call the confidential, free Home Heat Helpline on 0800 33 66 99 to find out if they qualify, and to ascertain the type of support they may be able to receive to keep their homes warm. The helpline offers impartial advice to vulnerable people who are worried about their energy bills and staying warm during the winter.
Last winter the Home Heat Helpline assisted over 42,000 people across Britain with approximately £250 energy savings per household.
