Introducing the London Fuel Poverty Hub

At the end of 2013, SE2 launched an exciting new resource: the London Fuel Poverty Hub.

You don’t need to work in the energy sector to know that more and more people are experiencing fuel poverty, forced to choose between spending a large percentage of their income on heating or living in a cold home.

Living in a cold house can have massively detrimental effects on both physical and mental health. It has been estimated that over the last five years in the UK, at least 7800 people have died every year due to living in a cold home. And fuel costs continue to rise - with recent calculations showing that bill payers are £53 a year worse off today than they were this time last year.

After years of working on fuel poverty programmes in different boroughs across the city, we know that help is available for those who are experiencing difficulties. However, it can be confusing and difficult for people to access appropriate services, and hard for service providers to reach those who most need their help. That’s why we launched the London Fuel Poverty Hub.

The hub is the only resource of its kind – a site that brings together information on all the different types of help available to those who are experiencing fuel poverty in the capital. Each London borough has its own dedicated page, listing local advice and support, with full contact information. Each borough page also gives information on who can apply for grants or support; a detailed, downloadable PDF shows what’s available to residents depending on the type of housing they’re living in. There is plenty more besides – as well as individual borough information, you’ll find case studies, opinions, research papers, useful regional contacts and the latest information on fuel poverty events and training across the capital.

So, next time you’re looking for information on the services available in your borough, why not give it a try?

www.londonfuelpovertyhub.wordpress.com

We’re constantly on the look out for interesting new case studies, opinion pieces and research papers to add to the hub – please email hannah@se-2.co.uk or tweet us @LDNFuelPoverty if there’s something you think we should be talking about! Likewise, if you have any other comments or corrections, please email Hannah or call 0208 469 1333.