Age Concern and the Home Heat Helpline launch the ‘Take Control’ campaign aimed at older residents

Take Control Test launched to check whether vulnerable households are doing everything they can to avoid fuel poverty

New advice on how older residents can ‘take control’ when it comes to heating and insulating their homes

The Home Heat Helpline (0800 33 66 99) and Age Concern joined forces today to launch a new ‘Take Control’ campaign targeting older residents, their friends, neighbours and family. The aim of the campaign is make sure older residents are doing everything they can to avoid fuel poverty and to urge friends and family to give them the support and advice needed to make sure their homes are as energy efficient and as cheap to heat as possible.

A group especially vulnerable to living in fuel poverty are older citizens and research carried out by the Helpline last year revealed that 4 in 10 over 55s believed that insufficient heating could impact negatively on their health and wellbeing. 

The main theme of the campaign is the launch of the Home Heat Helpline Take Control Test which older residents, friends, neighbours and family members can take to see whether there is more they can do to reduce their fuel bills, insulate their homes, reduce the amount of energy they waste or access the financial support they are entitled to.

The Take Control Test includes a series of statements which look at a person’s heating habits. The test can be answered by an individual, a friend, a neighbour or a relative. Those answering the test should answer ‘true’ or ‘false’ to the following 10 statements:

1. I/they have never calculated whether I/they spend more than 10% of income on fuel

2. My/their house is cold/damp for most of the year

3. I/they have to keep the heating off sometimes to keep fuel bills down

4. I/they struggle to regularly pay fuel bills

5. I/they don’t have any draft excluders fitted in the home

6. I/they don’t have double glazing fitted

7. I/they don’t have loft insulation

8. I/they have not contacted my/their energy supplier to see whether there is financial support available

9. I/they have not looked into ways to improve my/their home’s energy efficiency – e.g. energy saving light bulbs, turning appliances off at the wall when not using them, fixing dripping taps

10. I/they don’t’ regularly check my/their thermostat and could not say what its currently set to

Age Concern and the Home Heat Helpline are urging anyone who answers ‘true’ to more than three of the above statements to pick up the phone and call the Home Heat Helpline on 0800 33 66 99. Callers can get advice and financial support to help heat their home that can include tips on reducing energy use, reduced fuel tariffs and free insulation through grants from their energy supplier or from the Government. 

Raymond, an 80 year old pensioner took control of his energy efficiency by calling the Home Heat Helpline; he explains how one call to the Helpline quickly led to him to receiving help, advice and lower bills:

“The helpline staff were really friendly and helpful, and after speaking to them my bungalow was insulated for free. This has reduced my fuel bills and will make my home more energy efficient for the coming winter. I would urge anyone who is concerned about paying their fuel bills to give the helpline a call. It was very useful for me and it may be able to help you too.”

Gordon Lishman, Director General, Age Concern England said:

“Fuel poverty remains a serious problem.  There are 2.5 million households in fuel poverty in England this year – twice as many as there were in 2004.  Older people should be able to afford to heat their homes and often they just don’t know how to get the advice and support they need.  The Take Control Test will help to identify people who could benefit most from becoming more energy efficient and hopefully help them keep their homes warm and get best value for money on their fuel bills.”

Duncan Sedgwick, chief executive, Energy Retail Association adds,

“Recent research shows many older residents are living in fuel poverty. Whether you are an older resident worried about heating your home; or a friend, neighbour of relative of someone you think may be struggling; we’d like you to complete the Take Control Test. If your heating bills are not under control, then call the Home Heat Helpline today on 0800 33 66 99.”

The Home Heat Helpline is a not for profit organisation that was set up to help vulnerable customers who had problems heating their home. The helpline is the only service for all customers who have difficulties with heating their homes or paying for their energy bills no matter who their energy supplier is.  More than 55,000 people have called the Home Heat Helpline so far. It is staffed by expert advisors, including former health professionals who are trained to give advice on how to stay warm during cold weather. The Helpline can also take calls from intermediaries calling on behalf of vulnerable people, such as friends, family, carers, social workers or health visitors.

Notes to Editors

Four Communications

0870 420 3245

HHH@fourcommunications.com

Home Heat Helpline

Oliver Wright – 020 7747 5436

oliver.wright@energy-retail.org.uk

• The Home Heat Helpline (0800 33 66 99) operates from Monday to Friday 9am-8pm and from 10am-2pm on Saturday. There is a free minicom number for deaf users (0800 027 2122), and the Helpline also has access to interpreters for those callers whose first language is not English. www.homeheathelpline.org

• The Helpline is operated by The essentiagroup and is staffed by expert advisers, including former health professionals, who are trained to give advice on how to stay warm during the cold weather. They are also trained and authorised to deal with intermediaries calling on behalf of vulnerable customers, such as friends, carers, social workers or health visitors
  

• The Energy Retail Association was established in October 2003 and is the only dedicated trade association for domestic energy suppliers in the UK. More information can be found at www.energy-retail.org.uk

• The Home Heat Helpline, launched in October 2005, is a free service for all customers in Great Britain and is funded by the six major domestic energy suppliers. It is the only telephone helpline service that aims to tackle fuel poverty. Since 2003 the six major energy suppliers have spent over £1 billion on energy saving schemes that support vulnerable households. In addition, they spend a further £100 million per year on their various voluntary company initiatives that tackle fuel poverty. The industry is fully committed to playing its part in this important issue and may spend even more on this over the next three years.

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