The Trust expands its Extra Assistance Portal to provide further energy and household support

The Trust expands its Extra Assistance Portal to provide further energy and household support

The Trust’s Extra Assistance Portal (EAP) is a reimbursement scheme for its funded organisations, paying for household items such as bedding, slow cookers, microwaves and heated clothes airers. The scheme is not only helping the organisations provide practical support to their clients, but it is opening dialogue that leads clients to engage with additional money and energy advice.

In 2024/25, the Trust allocated £84,047 to support 722 households through the EAP. The most common item was hot water bottles (24%), followed by air fryers (19%) and blankets (7%). Other items in the top 10 included dehumidifiers, small kitchen appliances and beds including mattress.

Building on this success, the Trust is continuing the EAP in 2025/26. 204 households have already been supported between April and July this year, with 34 organisations taking part in the scheme. Following feedback from last year, the Trust has expanded the EAP to include more items such as warm clothing, curtains and damp and mould monitors, and has increased the limit on reimbursement costs for items like beds, mattresses and heated clothes airers.

Cara Babineau, Senior Low Carbon Communities Officer at Changeworks highlighted how the EAP is supporting their clients: “Being able to provide items that will have a tangible and immediate benefit for households is a great outcome on its own, but it has also helped staff and volunteers with engagement, and in drawing more households to events where they can learn how to save energy. Being able to provide these items also builds trust and respect for the project as people can see a direct impact and the extra effort that is being put into supporting them, making them more likely to engage further on energy advice and support services.”

To find a money and energy advice project near you, please click here.