Organisations from across Hampshire have been brought together to collaborate on helping over 8,500 vulnerable households living in fuel poverty.
Representatives from five key vulnerability partnerships working across the county came together last week to work together to share ideas and opportunities for collaboration and cross-referrals to help customers most in need of help to stay warm this winter. It provided an opportunity for partners to share what has been working well and opportunities for further development.
Our Safe & Warm Partnership Network invites organisations to explore ways to collaborate, drawing on each other’s expertise and specialist services, with the hope that this approach will increase cross-referrals for vulnerable customers to receive tailored support.
The event also launched three of our new partnerships with community agencies: Action Hampshire, Dementia Support Hampshire & IOW, and Home & Well Good Neighbours Network. Energy advisers, workshops, tailored resource packs, community outreach and home visits are all being used to support the people who need the most support.
Hampshire is one of the top five areas in the UK with the highest prevalence of dementia, according to Alzheimer’s Research UK. We’re working with Dementia Support Hampshire & IOW to help at least 1,028 households who are living with dementia to use energy safely, efficiently and affordably. To do this, we’re introducing a Safe & Warm Dementia Support Adviser in Hampshire, and working in collaboration with Age UK Isle of Wight, to give one-on-one energy advice, as well as promote the Priority Services Register and the locking cooker valve, a free safety device that eliminates the risk of a gas cooker being unintentionally turned on or left on.
We’re working with Action Hampshire to support voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) groups with support and training to help diverse communities who may be experiencing barriers to accessing energy safeguarding services. The scheme aims to help at least 3,500 households access much needed help from their utilities through local trusted community and volunteer groups. The partnership has enabled the team to mobilise and start delivering training workshops to 70 regional VCSE organisations, with a network of 200 volunteers from April 2024.
The Home & Well Good Neighbours Network is identifying residents forced to make difficult choices when it comes to heating their homes due to stretched household incomes. We’ve joined together with them to proactively support at least 4,000 Hampshire residents through tailored energy safeguarding and support services designed to tackle fuel poverty.
Helen Hamblen, Chief Executive at Dementia Support Hampshire & IOW, said: “It’s been a great opportunity to network with the other partners to look at how we can work together and collaborate throughout our project period. Hopefully working together we can demonstrate how the partnership has positively impacted on people living with dementia. Our team are learning a lot about energy advice and home safety. Being able to meet with the other partners is enabling us to support more people living with dementia. Huge thanks to SGN for funding the voluntary sector and providing support that makes a difference.”
Janet Duggan, Community Partnership Manager at SGN, said: “We’re really excited to be launching three new community partnerships who are all working across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Along with the Princess Royal Trust for Carers, National Energy Foundation and the Citizen’s Advice Home & Well partnership, the launch was a great opportunity for the partners to come together and explore ideas for collaboration. It was fantastic so bring together our Hampshire partners, encourage them to explore ways of joined up working particularly so they can elevate the support they provide vulnerable customers in their own homes.”
