Warm Homes Essex - Energy and financial wellbeing

The focus of the project is to support those whose health is adversely affected or at risk from living in a cold home. This includes older people, people with illness or disabilities or families with children with asthma.

The advice provided by the service is intensive and personalised, taking place over an extended period in order to ensure everything that can be done to improve the householder’s circumstances is done – such as maximising benefit entitlements, resolving disputes with energy suppliers, addressing debt problems and applying for grants to improve the energy efficiency of the home.

Citizens Advice is keen to reach out to people who might be struggling, and who could benefit and not reaching out.

The Warm Homes scheme is designed to help anyone who cannot afford to heat their home properly.

The target group is aimed at, but not limited to:

• older people
• people with disabilities
• people with health conditions such as COPD, cancer, asthma
• families with young children (including pregnant women)
• people on a low income