Changeworks
Helping Scottish housing association tenants to stay safe and warm at home
Our project at a glance
- Strategic priority area: Targeting geographical communities most at risk of fuel poverty
- Support target: 1,540 households over 20 months
- Duration: August 2024 to March 2026
- Investment: £242,464 over 20 months
- Forecast SROI: £1.12
We covered all sorts of issues and Lesley was really easy to talk to. I'm usually really anxious talking to strangers, but the advisor put me at ease and didn't make me feel self conscious about having financial difficulties. She was totally non judgmental and really nice.
Tenant Energy Support beneficiary
Why we’re working together
Around 40% of housing association tenants in Scotland are living in relative poverty, more than any other tenure.
We’ve partnered with Scotland’s leading environment charity Changeworks to co-design a new one-of-a-kind national initiative. Our Tenant Energy Support service provides comprehensive energy information, advice and advocacy to help household association tenants across Scotland manage their energy.
By helping tenants save energy, access financial support and keep affordably warm in their homes, we’re helping households avoid fuel poverty or supporting them out of it.
Project objectives
- Providing tenants with a wide range of energy efficiency and safeguarding information
- Delivering one-to-one tailored energy advice over the phone and at out-reach events
- Supporting tenants with more complex needs through advocacy and in-depth casework
- Raising awareness of the Priority Services Register and the benefits of joining
- Educating households on carbon monoxide safety to reduce CO harm
How we’re working together
Training for frontline workers
As part of our programme, we’re upskilling 30 frontline housing association employees on fuel poverty, carbon monoxide safety and the Priority Services Register.
Energy efficiency and safeguarding information
We’ll reach around 20,000 tenants across eight housing associations with energy advice through monthly print and digital communications. We’ll share key information about how to maintain a safe and warm home, as well as raising awareness of the Tenant Energy Support service for those needing one-to-one support.
Personalised energy advice
We’re offering tailored one-to-one support for tenants to help households use energy safely, efficiently and affordably. We’ll help these tenants with personalised support both over the phone and in-person at outreach events. We’re also signposting tenants to other relevant support organisations to provide holistic support to households facing fuel poverty.
Advocacy and support
Through the service, we’re able to help households with complex energy needs with in-depth casework support around fuel debt and energy account issues. This includes providing emergency funding to households in energy crisis to address their immediate need, while supporting tenants with longer-term measures to lift them out of fuel poverty.
How to get involved
Accessing the Tenant Energy Support service
As one of our VCMA network partners, you can check whether a housing association is part of our Tenant Energy Support service by checking the Changeworks website. You can refer tenants from our member housing associations for energy advice and support through the online referral form.
If you’re a housing association tenant in Scotland, you can check if your housing association is a member of the Tenant Energy Support service on the Changeworks website and request support through the simple online form.
Becoming a Tenant Energy Support partner
For housing association providers based in Scotland looking to find out more about the service, you can contact the team through the Changeworks website.
We’ve been working with SGN for a few years now and the partnership goes from strength-to-strength. Because we have such a positive relationship, we were able to present a new idea, one that we knew they would be keen to get behind due to their commitment in supporting vulnerable people and keeping them safe and warm. SGN has helped launched Tenant Energy Support, a service designed to support tenants in social housing, where there are extremely high levels of fuel poverty. Together, we’re able to reach thousands of households across Scotland, providing information, advice and advocacy.