To mark the Trust’s 20th anniversary, we convened charities and stakeholders across England, Scotland, and Wales to discuss ‘Alleviating the detrimental impact of fuel poverty – what works, what happens next’.
The discussions took place in 2024 at roundtable panel events held in partnership with funded charities and social enterprises from May until November. The aim for the roundtables was to identify earlier and new interventions to help more people avoid the detrimental impact of fuel poverty, to generate meaningful learnings from the 20th anniversary programme to inform our future funding approach, and to facilitate conversations and share knowledge that can influence change needed to address the cause and effect of fuel poverty. Each roundtable focused on a different disadvantaged group.
We captured information and learnings on the complex challenges facing several groups of people identified most at risk of fuel poverty and these details have been compiled into a final report. This report was presented at the Trusts concluding event at the House of Commons on 26th November 2024.
First roundtable: physical and mental health
15 May 2024, Bromley by Bow Centre
Speakers:
- Elly de Decker- Chief Executive, Bromley by Bow Centre
- Daniel Barr- Customer Welfare Manager, British Gas
- James Taylor- Executive Director of Strategy, Impact & Social Change, Scope
- Conor D’Arcy- Interim Chief Executive, Money & Mental Health Policy Institute
Attendees:
- Martin Lord- Consortium Director, Citizens Advice Essex
- Greg Ashby- Chief Executive, Money A+E
- Mosrath Jahan- Team Leader for the Energy & Financial Wellbeing, Bromley by Bow Centre
- Panna Begum- Frontline Advisor, Bromley by Bow Centre
- Joanna Read- Executive Director, Bow Food Bank
- Alex Belsham-Harris- Head of Retail Energy Markets, Citizens Advice UK
- Sarah Wright- Programme Manager, Energy for Tomorrow Centrica
- Hien Dinh- Debt Caseworker, Island Advice Centre
- Sumi Rabindrakumar- Head of Policy and Research, Trussell Trust
- Chris Warner- Chief Economist, Oxford Economics
British Gas Energy Trust roundtable- Physical and Mental Health
Findings from the British Gas Energy Trust first roundtable event
Second roundtable: young people, 16-25
6 June 2024, Money Matters
Speakers:
- Audrey Laing- Chief Operating Officer, Money Matters
- Leon Ward- Chief Executive, MyBNK
- Fiona Cameron- Conduct, Risk & Customer Vulnerability Director, British Gas
- Sharon Bell- Head of StepChange Scotland
Attendees:
- Karin Johnstone- Operations Manager, Dundee Citizens Advice Bureau
- Frazer Scott- Chief Executive Officer, Energy Action Scotland
- Stephen Scott- Money and Energy Advisor, Children’s Hospices Across Scotland
- Hamish Robertson- Head of Strategic Development, Wise Group
- Damon Dailly- Project Manager, Money Matters
- Josh Flook- Money and Energy Advisor, Money Matters
- Kirsten Urquhart- Chief Executive, Young Scot
- Molly Shelvin- Project Engagement Officer, Citizens Advice Scotland
- Neil Ritch- Director, The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland
- Michael O’Brien- Project Manager, Consumer Scotland
- John Sherry- Head of Financial Inclusion & Transformation, Glasgow City Council
- David Smeaton- Head of Young Parents Support Base
- Marion Fellows- Convener, Poverty Action Network Lanarkshire
British Gas Energy Trust Roundtable- Young People, 16-25
Reflections on the Trust’s roundtable: a manifesto for change
Findings from the British Gas Energy Trust second roundtable event
Third roundtable: carers
27 June 2024, Citizens Advice Doncaster
Speakers:
- James Woods- Chief Executive Officer, Citizens Advice Doncaster Borough
- Helen Walker- Chief Executive, Carers UK
- Paul Bristow- Chief Executive, Kidney Care UK
- Louis Billingham- Customer Operations Director, British Gas
Attendees:
- Nigel Friend- Frontline Advisor, Citizens Advice Doncaster
- Ellen Shipley- Chief Executive, Live Inclusive
- Michele Beck- Chief Executive, Doncaster Housing for Young People
- Emma Nicholas-Hernandez- Public Health Improvement Coordinator, Be Well Doncaster
- Lynne Coles- Head of Training and Wellbeing, Age UK Doncaster
- Steve Weeks- Learning Disability Casework Team Leader, Mecap
- Debbie Osborne- Manager, Doncaster Partnership for Carers Ltd
- Chris Margrave- Chief Executive/ Chair, St Leger Homes / Team Doncaster’s Sustainable Homes Poverty Group
- William Gillis- Trustee, British Gas Energy Trust
- Arvinda Gohil- Chair, British Gas Energy Trust
- Susan Deacon- Trustee, British Gas Energy Trust
British Gas Energy Trust Roundtable- Carers
Strategies and solutions to support “hidden and isolated” individuals
Findings from the British Gas Energy Trust third roundtable event
Fourth roundtable: rural communities and mental health
18 July 2024, Navigate
Speakers:
- Andrew Pritchard, Chief Operating Officer, Mind in Somerset
- Sandy Ruthven MBE, Chief Executive Officer, Severn Wye Energy Agency
- Kirsty MacLeod, Energy Advice Manager, Tighean Innse Gall
- Morven Masterton, Head of Community Engagement and Energy Advice Services, Changeworks
- Jo-Ann Paul, Director of ECO, British Gas
Attendees:
- Kate Miles, Charity Manager, The DPJ Foundation
- Mel Allen, Chief Executive, Navigate
- Claire Summers, Service Delivery Manager, Navigate
- Emma Dickson, Debt & Energy Advisor (Somerset), Navigate
- Kim Akhurst, Debt & Energy Advisor (Devon), Navigate
- Sarah Smith, Senior Services Manager, Missing Link
- Martin Mogford MBE, Quality Assurance Officer, Exeter Community Energy
- Katie Poole, Regional Director (South West), Sanctuary Housing
British Gas Energy Trust roundtable- Rural Location and Mental Health
Hope and Collaboration at the Roundtable: Addressing Fuel Poverty in Rural Communities
The unique challenges of those facing rural fuel poverty
Findings from the British Gas Energy Trust fourth roundtable event
Fifth roundtable: disadvantaged communities
26 September 2024, Citizens Advice Sunderland
Speakers:
- Denise Irving, Chief Executive Officer, Citizens Advice Sunderland
- Fiona Cameron, Conduct, Risk and Customer Vulnerability Director, British Gas
- Penny Walster, Director of Programmes and Partnerships, The Big Issue Group
- Jabeer Butt, Chief Executive Officer, Race Equality Foundation
Attendees:
- Ross Brooks, Centre Manager, Citizens Advice Hartlepool
- Carol Shreeve, Chief Executive Officer, North Yorkshire Citizens Advice and Law Centre
- Lisa Boothroyd, Projects Manager, Energy Projects Plus
- Amanda Bailey, Director, North East Child Poverty Commission
- Pete Barrett, Senior Programme Advisor, Community Foundation
- Judith Wood Archer, Service Delivery Director, Citizens Advice Gateshead
- Lynne Hunter, Energy Team Manager, Citizens Advice Newcastle
- Gayle Purvis, Welfare Advisor on Reducing Child Poverty North East, Citizens Advice Newcastle
- Georgina Sommerville, Director, Green Rose CIC
- Richard Elliott, Financial Resilience and Support Manager, Sunderland Council
- Carley Barrett, Money and Energy Advisor, Citizens Advice Sunderland
- Ashleigh Staite, Money and Energy Advisor, Citizens Advice Sunderland
- Alexandra Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, Reviving the Heart of the West End
- Jane Bevan, Greater Manchester Disabled People’s Panel
- Dragolina Iordan, Big Issue vendor
British Gas Energy Trust roundtable- Disadvantaged Communities
Addressing fuel poverty with collaboration and adaptive learning
Addressing poverty on a community level
Findings from the British Gas Energy Trust fifth roundtable event
Sixth roundtable: vulnerable and older people
3 October 2024, Riverside Advice
Speakers:
- Barabara Kerridge, Chief Executive Officer, Riverside Advice
- Paul Farmer, Chief Executive Officer, Age UK
- Louise Billingham, Customer Operations Director, British Gas
- Jackie O’Sullivan, Executive Director of Strategy and Influence, Mencap
Attendees:
- Ashley Comley, Chief Executive, Citizens Advice in Rhondda Cynon Taff
- Vicki Lloyd, Chief Executive Officer, Age Cymru
- Andrew Sims, Cardiff and Vale Mental Health Recovery & Wellbeing College
- Tracey Price, Vulnerable Customer Community Manager, Welsh Water
- Ben Saltmarsh, Head of Wales, National Energy Action
- Sian Best, Support Worker, Cadwyn Housing Association
- Paul Gwilym, Chief Executive, Boomerang
- Mike Freeman, Money and Energy Advisor, Riverside Advice
- David Bosley, Money and Energy Advisor, Riverside Advice
- Diane Maynard, Support Worker, pobl Group
British Gas Energy Trust roundtable- Vulnerable and Older People
Collaborative support for vulnerable communities
Findings from the British Gas Energy Trust sixth roundtable event
Seventh roundtable: women and families
24 October 2024, Zinthiya Trust
Speakers:
- Zinthiya Ganeshpanchan, Chief Executive Officer and founder, The Zinthiya Trust
- Victoria Benson, Chief Executive Officer, Gingerbread
- Benaifer Bhandari, Chief Executive Officer, Hopscotch Women’s Centre
- Catherine O’Kelly, Managing Director, Centrica
Attendees:
- Sarah Hayle, Chief Executive, Community Law Service
- Claire Meek, Deputy Director of Services and Innovation North, Family Action
- Johanna Ransley, Administration Assistant, Baby Basics Leicester
- Suki Kaur, Chief Executive Officer, Freeva
- Adrian Iyayi, Outreach and Engagement Worker, GamCare
- Vivien Waterfield, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Home Start
- Sarah Parry, Managing Director, Socially Grown and Residential Energy Services
- Ravi Rajapakse, Advisor, Hope Against Poverty CIC
- Miranda Corti, Trustee, British Gas Energy Trust
- Sam Hassan, Business Development Manager, Auriga Services
- Maria Bishop, Money and Energy Advisor, The Zinthiya Trust
- Tracy Gormley, Money and Energy Advisor, The Zinthiya Trust
- Gillian Coleman, Money and Energy Advisor, The Zinthiya Trust
British Gas Energy Trust roundtable- Women and Families
Findings from the British Gas Energy Trust seventh roundtable event
