Getting Better Together
Supporting Shotts households in fuel and food poverty
Our project at a glance
- Strategic priority area: Targeting geographic communities most at risk of fuel poverty
- Support target: 120 households over six months
- Duration: January 2025 to June 2025
- Investment: £5,306 over six months
- Forecast SROI: £2.25
I didn’t realize how dangerous carbon monoxide could be until I got support through this service. Not only did I receive a free alarm, but I also learned how to keep my home safe. It’s reassuring to know there’s help out there for people like me who struggle to access support.
Shotts Healthy Living beneficiary
Why we’re working together
North Lanarkshire is an area with high levels of deprivation, particularly so in the town of Shotts and the surrounding villages.
Getting Better Together is a community-based health initiative which promotes the education, health and wellbeing of North Lanarkshire residents.
We’ve partnered with Getting Better Together to fund a part-time Financial Wellbeing Officer to help households in Shotts and the surrounding villages who are in food or fuel poverty. We’re targeting our support towards households who face barriers to accessing mainstream support due to location, lack of transport or limited digital access.
Project objectives
- Helping residents to access benefit eligibility checks to maximise household income
- Supporting households to access crisis support for food, clothing or housing
- Raising awareness of the Priority Services Register and supporting households to sign up
- Raising awareness of carbon monoxide and providing free CO alarms for households most in need
How we’re working together
Income maximisation and energy safeguarding support
The Financial Wellbeing Officer provides crucial guidance and support to households with urgent needs related to food, fuel and other essentials. As well as delivering direct financial support, the Financial Wellbeing Officer also coordinates referrals to partner organisations.
Through the programme, households also receive energy safeguarding advice including information on carbon monoxide safety and the Priority Services Register.
How to get involved
Accessing support from Shotts Healthy Living
As one of our VCMA network partners, you can refer households in Shotts and the surrounding North Lanarkshire villages for support by contacting Getting Better Together Adult Support Services on 01501 825 800 (Option 2) or emailing Catherine Carson catherine@shottshealthyliving.com.
If you live in Shotts or a nearby village and you’re struggling to afford to keep your home safe and warm, you can refer yourself to the Shotts Healthy Living programme by dropping into the centre on Kirk Road, calling Getting Better Together Adult Support Services on 01501 825 800 (Option 2) or emailing Catherine Carson at catherine@shottshealthyliving.com.
Becoming a Getting Better Together partner
You can find out more about partnering with Getting Better Together by emailing Mark Slorance at mark@shottshealthyliving.com.
Through this partnership, households facing financial hardship will receive essential support while increasing their awareness of home safety. By distributing carbon monoxide alarms and promoting the Priority Services Register, we will equip individuals with the knowledge and resources needed to safeguard their homes and well-being in the long term.