November 26, 2009
A WARM WELCOME FOR LOCAL MP AS WINTER DEATHS INCREASE DRAMATICALLY
Working mum, Nicola Savage, 30, of Swinton, was so impressed by alterations made to her house under the Government’s Warm Front scheme that she invited local MP John Healey into her home to enjoy the warmth and discuss the difference it has made.
The visit took place as part of the Warm Homes Campaign, led by campaigning charity National Energy Action, and sponsored by ScottishPower and the Department for Energy and Climate Change, to raise awareness of fuel poverty, the effects it has on over 5 million households across the country, and the help and support available to end the misery of living in a cold, damp home.
Miss Savage, who lives with her partner Dan and their two young children Katy aged 2 and Liam who is just 14 weeks, contacted the governments Warm Front scheme after she heard about it on the radio. Being in receipt of Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credits Miss Savage was eligible to have a new heating system fitted.
Miss Savage said: “I rang the council who put me in touch with Warm Front. An assessor visited us at home and told us we were eligible to have our old back boiler replaced with a new condensing unit. The heating doesn't need to be on long before it gets the whole house warm and it stays warm.
“The work done has been fantastic, it was done within six weeks, and it was free. The boiler came with a two year guarantee which give peace of mind against breakdowns and we were given some useful energy advice to help stay warm, healthy and out of debt.”
Warm Front is a Government-funded initiative, managed by eaga, which provides up to £6,000 for energy efficiency improvements to homes of people such as those on Disability Living Allowance or Income Support.
John Healey, MP for Wentworth said: “I really enjoyed meeting with Nicola and her family and hearing about their experiences. Fuel poverty is a serious issue and one which is often not recognised. It can lead to debt problems, isolation, and poor health which sadly many do not recover from. The winter is a difficult time for many households in the UK and with energy prices remaining high it is important to look at ways in improving energy efficiency to bring people’s energy bills down and make homes healthier to live in. It is because of this I am supporting the Warm Homes Campaign and I am delighted to do so.
“The most important message of this campaign, as Nicola and her family have demonstrated, is that there is help out there for vulnerable households. I urge everyone to contact the Home Heat Helpline on 0800 33 66 99 to access help and advice on staying warm in their home this winter without the fear of fuel debt and ill health.”
NEA Chief Executive Jenny Saunders said “Millions of households urgently require support through grants to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Extra resources for trained advisors to help people make successful claims for benefits and to give debt advice are also essential.”
Jim Paterson, Sales and Marketing Director at ScottishPower said: “Tacking fuel poverty remains a challenge particularly during this time of recession, which will potentially see many households impacted financially.
“However, we believe it is a challenge we can face together, pooling resources to have a lasting impact on tackling fuel poverty. We are delighted to be supporting the Warm Homes Campaign, which provides the platform to showcase many of the successful energy efficiency and fuel poverty initiatives already underway across the country.”
The campaign comes at a time when Excess Winter Deaths (EWDs) across the UK have reached their highest in almost 10 years. The number of winter deaths during 2008/09 in Yorkshire and Humber East reached 3500, over 1050 more than the previous winter, showing a 30% increase.