500 helped over fuel bill worries

The Power Up! Initiative – a fuel poverty partnership between Western Power Distribution (WPD) and Coventry Citizens’ Advice Bureau (CAB) – has supported its 500th client with household fuel bill help and guidance.

WPD contacted the clients as part of ongoing work to improve its data relating to people who rely on electricity the most, such as the elderly, disabled and those who rely on electricity for medical reasons.

After being contacted to update their details, customers were then offered the chance to be referred to the partnership with CAB for energy efficiency advice and support relating to tariffs and managing debt.

Alex Wilkes, WPD’s Stakeholder Engagement Manager explained: “Helping to address fuel poverty is something that’s very new for WPD. We don’t sell electricity and therefore don’t directly affect a customer’s expenditure or debts, but we’re uniquely placed to put people in touch with agencies that can help.”

He said the point of the scheme was to team up with an expert partner who can assist customers like providing advice on tariffs or available energy efficiency grants.

“In just 9 months the project has supported people with combined debts of over £175,000. Our interventions have resulted in £43,000 of savings per year for these customers. Assistance has taken many forms – several customers have been helped to switch onto cheaper supplier tariffs, delivering savings of between £65 and £85 a year, while support and funding to replace older inefficient boilers has delivered savings of over £300 a year for some customers. But what’s great is that the CAB can offer much broader support, such as helping to consolidate existing debts and introduce manageable payments plans for people that are in difficulty.”

Daksha Piparia from the CAB said: “The Power Up! project has enabled us to work directly with people who really need our help. We’ve been able to secure additional income for people in many cases and offer vital support with debts and money management.

“With the Big Energy Saving Week taking place from October 20 - 24 October 2014, we are hoping that this will help to further raise awareness of energy issues and encourage even more consumers to come forward for help finding the best deal on energy costs and advice on keeping control of electricity usage.”