Appeal to help heat homes of vulnerable Wiltshire people needed more than ever before
Last year scheme raised over £140,000
An appeal to help heat the homes of vulnerable people in Wiltshire has been launched again, with support being needed more than ever before.
Wiltshire Community Foundation have launched its 'Surviving Winter' for the 12th time by funding partners Age UK, Warm and Safe Wiltshire and both Swindon and Wiltshire Citizens Advice so they can provide grants of a minimum of £200 and energy-saving or benefits advice to people in fuel poverty.
However, due to the pandemic still taking it's toll on people and a cut to Universal Credit, the foundation say this year it's more important than ever.
Last year the appeal raised £142,000 and helped more than 1,200 people pay fuel bills and save energy, as well as apply for other benefits.
Wiltshire Community Foundation is asking people who receive a government Winter Fuel Payment and feel they don’t need all or some of it to donate it to the appeal.
Joint Chief Executive Fiona Oliver said:
“We first launched this appeal because we were shocked that 30,000 people in Wiltshire live in fuel poverty, meaning that they can’t afford to heat their homes and still pay for food.
“We have all seen household bills rising this winter so the situation is even worse than last year when we were still in the midst of the pandemic. On average 300 people in Wiltshire and Swindon die of cold-related illness each winter because they are unable to keep their homes warm. That is just not acceptable in a civilised country and we are determined to do something to change that.”
In Wiltshire almost a quarter of homes are old, in poor condition or are poorly insulated, compared to a UK average of 20% and that figure in Wiltshire rises to 31% in rural areas.
Meanwhile, more than half of homes in rural areas are not connected to the gas network and are at risk from sudden rises in oil prices, like the hike seen last month.
Age UK Wiltshire will use money from the appeal to award grants towards fuel bills as well as fund advisors to help people claim benefits, while both Wiltshire and Swindon Citizens Advice will increase the hours of specialist advisors to help people in debt apply for other benefits they could be entitled to.
Wiltshire chief executive Suzanne Wigmore said :
"Last year we were able to get people on to lower fixed rate tariffs. At the moment that option is pretty much gone because it is very difficult to find a fixed rate that is lower than the capped rate.
“It is difficult to engage people in longer term help when they have got no heating and no food in the fridge.
“Once you have dealt with those immediate issues you want to engage them in longer term help and this way of working allows us to do that. We are putting people in a better position by increasing their income and re-balancing their debt.”
You can support the project by going to the Wiltshire Community Foundation website.