Local Response Fund Launch

British Gas Energy Trust are pleased to announce the launch of a new £130,000 Local Response Fund, this fund will ensure additional support reaches the heart of local communities during this challenging time.

The British Gas Energy Trust currently funds 17 advice provider organisations across England, Wales and Scotland; 13 are in England, two in Scotland and two in Wales. The advice providers deliver a holistic service that is tailored to each client’s needs. This additional funding will enable funded organisations to deliver additional emergency support directly to individuals, through their front line money advice services directly to heart of local communities,  enabling them to meet heightened need.

The 17 Funded advice providers already have robust distribution networks in place and will offer the additional assistance through existing systems and processes.  Both customers of British Gas and non-customers can benefit from this fund to support individuals in need, the funding can be used as follows:

1. Home energy efficiency assessments.
2. Emergency Utility Credit (EUC) Vouchers for customers on pre-payment meter.
3. Energy efficient measures e.g. radiator reflectors, door/window draught excluders, energy efficient light bulbs, hot water tank covers, double glazing film.
4. Emergency heating sources.
5. DRO application fee and Bankruptcy application fee payments (and Scottish equivalent).

Notes to Editors:

The organisations currently funded by the British Gas Energy Trust are:

• Auriga Services Limited
• Energy Projects Plus Limited
• Bromley by Bow Centre
• Income Max CIC
• Citizens Advice Cymru
• Money Matters Money Advice Centre
• Citizens Advice Manchester
• Riverside Advice Limited
• Northumbrian Citizens Advice Bureau
• St Anne’s Advice Group
• Citizens Advice Preston
• Citizens Advice St Helens
• Community First Yorkshire
• Community Law Service
• Navigate Charity
• THAW-Orkney
• Zinthiya Trust

 The Services provided by the 17 funded organisations include:

• Budget planning
• Benefit / income maximisation checks
• Energy supplier / tariff switching exercises
• Resolution of energy debt problems
• Negotiating with energy suppliers
• Completing applications to and other grant giving schemes
• Desktop home energy efficiency advice
• Generalist advice on subjects including housing, employment and discrimination

Financial assistance in the form of EUC vouchers are only available to households / individuals not in receipt of any other form of Warm Home Discount (WHD) rebate (core or broader group).

Individuals should neither be in receipt of a WHD rebate, nor be intending to apply for WHD rebate. 

In order to comply with Ofgem spending criteria, all Local Response Fund awards must be spent, and reported as spent by 31^st March 2021. 

For further information please contact press@britishgasenergytrust.org.uk