The last couple of years have been difficult for our customers. We’ve been on the front-line of helping our community cope and adapt. Issues around the cost of living have been central to our work.
Our Wellbeing Hub is a collection of team members empowered to understand the issues affecting customers and find solutions. A new Energy Adviser has been recruited thanks to the Scottish Government’s Community Recovery Funding and will shortly start work in a role that will be central to providing help where it is needed.
The grant received from the Scottish Government’s Social Housing Fuel Support Fund, which is managed and administered by the SFHA, will allow our new adviser to work effectively. Collaborative working is key and CVHA is in discussions with a number of partners, including Home Energy Scotland/Fuel Bank Foundation and the Wise Group, among others, to provide support and services to our customers.
Our new energy adviser will be leading on a number of initiatives, including:
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providing financial support to customers with clearing energy bill debt to allow them to switch to a cheaper energy tariff and reduce overall poverty
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providing fuel vouchers to customers, who may be struggling managing, bills to top-up their prepayment meters
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supporting customers who are on low incomes to make some simple quick fixes to their homes by providing fixtures and fittings such as draft excluders, thermal curtains, smart thermostats, and energy efficient lightbulbs
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co-ordinating awareness campaigns with Home Energy Scotland around steps that can be taken to reduce bills and how to be more energy efficient. Producing useful information, both online and in paper form, on steps to reduce bills will also be an important facet as will delivery of a series of managing finances workshops in partnership with Routes to Work.
Our new energy adviser, Angela Fitzpatrick, will drive these efforts, including running community engagement events in partnership with local authority tenant participation groups and other RSLs to ensure the investment from the Social Housing Fuel Support Fund has much impact as possible.
Angela Fitzpatrick said: “I look forward to joining Clyde Valley Housing Association to start helping those householders most vulnerable to the current and future energy price hikes.
“It’s so important to help vulnerable tenants to make sure they are on supply, understand how to use their heating system and have an affordable energy payment plan in place.
“My career so far has been focused on helping new tenants with their energy supply and operating their heating system, ensuring they are on the right track at the start of their tenancy. The Social Housing Fuel Support Fund will be so important in carrying out this work.”
