A new partnership group bringing together local organisations across Hartlepool is aiming to create a more coordinated response to fuel poverty and energy related issues affecting residents across the town.

The Fuel & Energy Working Group has been established by Hartlepool Citizens Advice, with support from organisations involved in the Hartlepool Financial Inclusion Partnership (HFIP), which includes Hartlepool Borough Council, housing providers, community organisations, welfare support agencies, public health representatives and voluntary sector partners.

Ross Brooks, General Manager at Hartlepool Citizens Advice, which is part-funded by British Gas Energy Trust, explained that the group was created in response to increasing challenges facing local households.

“As the leading independent energy advice agency in Hartlepool, we decided to establish this group in response to the growing levels of fuel poverty in Hartlepool and the increasing complexity of energy related issues faced by local residents. We recognised the need for a coordinated, strategic forum that would bring together key partners to share intelligence, align support, and develop practical solutions.”

Ross said the group is designed to create a collaborative approach between agencies supporting vulnerable residents.

“The aim is to create a collaborative space where agencies can pool expertise, identify emerging issues, and work collectively to improve outcomes for residents experiencing fuel poverty or energy vulnerability.”

Although the group is still in its early stages, meetings will take place every two months and organisers are optimistic about the long-term impact it could have across Hartlepool.

Ross believes the partnership could help improve communication between organisations and provide more joined up support for residents struggling with energy issues.

“Moving forward we expect improved communication and coordination across agencies and several tangible outcomes will emerge, including better referral pathways between agencies for residents needing specialist energy advice. We’ll hopefully see shared identification of local trends, such as rising prepayment meter issues and supplier billing errors, joint planning of community outreach and awareness raising activity and improved consistency in the advice and messaging given to residents. While still in its early stages, the group will help to enable a more strategic response to fuel poverty in the town.”

The group is already focusing on a number of pressing issues affecting households locally.

Ross said: “The group is currently focused on several key challenges affecting Hartlepool residents, including the high prevalence of poor quality housing resulting in low energy efficiency, lack of awareness among residents about available support schemes and energy saving measures, rising energy debt and the increasing use of repayment plans that are unaffordable, prepayment meter issues, including forced switches and self-disconnection.

Then there’s also inconsistent or incorrect billing from suppliers, gaps in frontline knowledge across agencies, leading to missed opportunities for early intervention and the need for clearer referral pathways for complex or vulnerable cases.”

“Our long-term ambition is for the Fuel & Energy Working Group to become a central, sustainable part of Hartlepool’s wider anti-poverty strategy. Ultimately, the goal is to create a more joined up system where residents receive timely, accurate, and effective support and where agencies work together rather than in isolation.”