Warm & Well is operated through Mid to North Yorkshire Citizens Advice Bureau, North Yorkshire County Council and North Yorkshire Health & Wellbeing Board. The Town Council has received the below quarterly newsletter.
North Yorkshire Household Support Fund update
We have been distributing the Household Support Fund since April and have had a fantastic response. We have issued over £200,000 in fuel vouchers, direct support to those with credit meters, LPG, oil and logs.
We have received an extra £20,000 in funding from NYCC; so please continue to refer to the project. All clients will be offered holistic advice aimed to lift them out of fuel poverty.
If you need to make a referral then you can use the online referral form. https://www.warmandwell.org.uk/Referral-Form Please let your client know that calls will come from a withheld number. If your client needs urgent help they can call the Citizens Advice adviceline on 0808 278 7900
Cost of living support
With the announcement that the price cap is to increase to £3,549 per year (for dual fuel for an average household) from 1 October 2022, https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/ofgem-updates-price-cap-level-and-tightens-rules-suppliers it’s even more important to communicate the government support which is available.
Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS)
Further details have been released on how the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) (£400 energy rebate) will work. You can read the EBSS explainer on the gov.uk website https://www.gov.uk/government/news/energy-bills-support-scheme-explainer . For customers on credit meters and any type of smart meter (including prepayment) the discount will be applied automatically to the customers account without any action needed.
However for customers using a traditional prepayment meter (i.e. they top up with a key or card and cannot top up on an app) the vouchers will will be provided with redeemable vouchers or Special Action Messages (SAMs) from the first week of each month starting October 2022. These will be issued via SMS text, email or post. Customers will need to take action to redeem these at their usual top-up point. There is a risk that these vouchers will be accidentally discarded or ignored. Please raise awareness with your service users:
● To make sure their contact details are up to date with the supplier
● To be looking out for communications by text, email or post with the vouchers at the beginning of each month from October 2022 to March 2023
Communicating the support available
Confused about the support on offer and how to communicate it to your service users? The Understanding Universal Credit website have developed a toolkit containing resources to help signpost to:
– what the different payments are and when they will start being paid
– who is eligible for the payments
– how stakeholders can support their customers
There is also a social media asset pack. Click here to download the full asset pack including social media assets, suggested social media post copy, newsletter copy and posters. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/energy-bills-support-scheme-explainer Please share widely across your socials to spread the word.
Northern Gas Networks Warm Hubs toolkit
A Warm Hub is a place within a local community (for example church and village halls, community centres) where customers in vulnerable situations can attend and keep warm. The objective is that members of the community will be welcomed into a warm, safe and friendly environment where they can enjoy a healthy good value meal and a warm drink. In addition they will have the company of other people as well as access to services.
A toolkit is being created to support community venues and volunteers and to ensure that the key principles and building blocks of a Warm Hub are adhered to.
Energy scams
As the cost of living support has been announced and rolled out, scammers are taking advantage of people’s fear and worry about the cost of living crisis. They’re using the energy crisis to make money. They’re looking for new ways to exploit people, but the techniques they use are tried and tested.
It’s important to be #ScamAware, and stop and think about whether you might be about to be a victim of an energy scam. Our colleagues at Citizens Advice have written about the techniques scammers use time and time on Medium. Please share with your service users to raise awareness of scams. https://wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/techniques-scammers-use-to-fool-you-74476507417d?gi=1765465aabea You can report online scams through our Scams Action Service https://ssl.datamotion.com/form.aspx?co=3438&frm=scam&to=scamsaction . Offline scams can be reported to https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/get-more-help/if-you-need-more-help-about-a-consumer-issue-energy/ You can report an offline scam to Citizens Advice consumer service and they will let Trading Standards know.
Training opportunities: Free training – Become a Community Energy Ambassador
Typical energy bills are likely to top £3,400 per year when the next energy price cap comes in on 1st October. Our free course will equip you with skills and knowledge about fuel poverty, the current energy crisis, ways to save energy, support schemes, and how we can help others to be safe and well. You will then join our network of over 300 Energy Ambassadors across Yorkshire, the Northeast and Cumbria and have access to resources and information that you can share locally.
You can book your place on an upcoming course through Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/energy-ambassadors-141409
Free training – Think CO – An introductory workshop to carbon monoxide (CO) risks at home
The Gas Safe Charity is offering a free, online, hour long workshop on Carbon Monoxide awareness. This workshop is aimed at front line staff and volunteers from social care, NHS, FRS, voluntary and private sectors working in the UK who visit vulnerable people in their homes every day.
There are dates available in August and September which you can book through Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nyfrs-safe-well-partnerships-seminar-tickets-392944205697
Big Energy Saving Network group advice sessions
We have received funding to deliver Big Energy Saving Network (BESN) sessions across North Yorkshire. BESN sessions are designed to be delivered to community groups, with follow up one to one support offered to those who need it Champions offer advice on energy saving in the home, switching energy suppliers, and guidance on how to access schemes that help vulnerable households stay warm and lower energy bills.
This is an excellent opportunity for Warm and Well to come to you! If you would like
to request a session for a community group please email wnw@northyorkslca.org.uk
Partnership update: North Yorkshire Fire Service Safe & Well Partnerships Seminar
North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue are changing their referral process and are looking to reinvigorate their partnerships to ensure they provide the best service to the public and to the professionals they work with. They would like to invite you to a Safe & Well Partnerships Seminar on the 28th of September 10am – 12pm.
The session will cover:
● How they record and perceive risk in relation to fire
● How to refer and what information they can share back
● What their offer is going forward – Newsletters, CPD and training
You can book your place through Eventbrite Open Invitation https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nyfrs-safe-well-partnerships-seminar-tickets-392944205697
If you would like any further information on how Warm & Well can support either you or your clients do not hesitate to contact the team on 01609 767555 or email wnw@northyorkslca.org.uk.
Thank you for all your support and we look forward to hearing from you.
Warm & Well in North Yorkshire