Ridgewater Energy
Supporting 2,650 Dorset residents to use energy safely, efficiently and affordably
Our project at a glance
- Strategic priority area: Targeting geographic communities most at risk of fuel poverty
- Support target: 2,650 households over 18 months
- Duration: September 2024 to March 2026
- Investment: £279,834 over 18 months
- Forecast SROI: £1.08
The visit I had was so useful, so many tips to save energy and money and some home safety things that I didn’t know before! The assessor was so kind and helpful and fitted lots of free items like LED bulbs and I even got a free heated throw so I can cosy up on the sofa at night. Such a great scheme, thank you to all involved!
Help for Warmth Dorset beneficiary
Why we’re working together
Dorset is in the South West of England, which had the largest regional fuel poverty gap in the country in 2022, at £289. Of the eight constituencies in Dorset and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, four are above the South West fuel poverty gap average and two are equal to or exceed the national average.
Ridgewater Energy is a local organisation, providing free professional and impartial energy advice and support to help Dorset residents improve their home energy efficiency.
The Ridgewater Energy team supports a wide cross-section of households across all housing types and tenures, and typically assists a higher percentage of households who are older, disabled or living with a long-term health condition.
We’ve partnered with Ridgewater Energy to build capacity in its existing Help for Warmth service, meaning that more vulnerable Dorset households can benefit from home energy efficiency advice.
Through our partnership, we’re bringing together local councils, third-sector organisations, the health sector, social housing partners and the private rented sector to tackle fuel poverty across Dorset. We’re offering a one-stop service for organisations to refer households for advice on energy saving, energy efficiency improvements and how to access funding for energy efficiency upgrades.
Project objectives
- Providing 1,200 Dorset households with an energy advice home visit
- Delivering 130 energy advice community events
- Supporting eligible households to sign up for the Priority Services Register
- Raising awareness of carbon monoxide safety and providing free CO alarms to households most at risk of CO harm
- Training 120 frontline workers and volunteers on energy safeguarding, energy efficiency and assistance schemes
How we’re working together
Home energy visits
Through bespoke one-to-one home visits, the Ridgewater Energy team assists vulnerable households to improve their home energy efficiency. By identifying appropriate energy efficiency measures and supporting households to access funding to implement the measures, we’re helping vulnerable Dorset households use energy more safely, efficiently and affordably.
By supporting vulnerable households in their home, the residents are more relaxed, and advisers can gain a better understanding of the challenges they face in maintaining a safe and warm home. This allows for more high-impact cross-referrals to other project and local partners.
Community outreach
We’ll expand the reach of our service by hosting at least 130 community events, talks and drop-ins focused on energy advice. We aim to target 1,200 households through these sessions, covering topics including CO and PSR awareness. The team will also identify and refer households in need of support from other partner organisations and initiatives, for example, a Safe and Well visit from Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service or the LiveWell Dorset scheme for health and wellbeing support.
How to get involved
Accessing the Help for Warmth service
As one of our VCMA network partners, you can refer your clients in Dorset to the Help for Warmth service by contacting the Ridgewater Energy team.
If you live in Dorset and think you may benefit from this service, you’re welcome to get in touch with the team directly through the Ridgewater Energy website.
Becoming a partner
You can find out more about working with Ridgewater Energy on the Ridgewater Energy website.
Ridgewater are really proud to be working in partnership with SGN on this fantastic and impactful project, which will benefit so many Dorset residents and help them to achieve affordable warmth and a healthier and safer home!