Warm and Well Packs have been distributed to hundreds of Thanet households in privately rented accommodation who were identified as being in fuel poverty.
The packs were distributed by Thanet District Council and Social Enterprise Kent thanks to grant funding of £30,000 from UK Power Networks. Residents received materials to help them cook cheaply and to help them to tackle draughts and stay warm in their homes.
Each pack contained an electric blanket and air fryer, draught excluders for doors, windows and letterboxes, reflective radiator foil and other cold weather kit. The packs also included information on support services to help residents to access advice on energy and food affordability, support vouchers and debt support.
Claire Shelton, Director of Wellbeing at Social Enterprise Kent, said: “It is great to be working in partnership with Thanet District Council to provide valuable support to our community. The items in the pack will be very helpful for householders to reduce bills and provide warm food.”
Bob Porter, Thanet District Council’s Acting Director of Place, added: “We welcome the support from UK Power Networks which helped us to provide real material impact to residents across the district. Providing practical support to people who may be struggling to stay healthy and warm at a time when costs are rising, is a priority for the council.”.
In Thanet 19.2% of homes (12,300) are facing fuel poverty, particularly as costs increase. Households with low incomes, older people and people with disabilities are hardest hit.
NEA, the lead in UK fuel poverty analysis, estimates that due to the energy price rises and the reductions in household income, there has been a national increase in fuel poverty of 50%.
Thanet council has a home energy team which is responsible for submitting grant bids and sourcing external funding for residents of Thanet to support households who are struggling with their energy bills. Between the months of June and August 2021 the service received 76 referrals. But for the same months in 2022, referrals rose to 250 – an increase of more than 200%.
Farina Farrier, Social Sustainability Manager at UK Power Networks, said: “Our customers are facing unprecedented challenges which is why we have expanded our fuel poverty support, working collaboratively with others to deliver practical support that will make a real difference to people’s lives during the current cost of living crisis.
“We are delighted to be able to support the work of Social Enterprise Kent and Thanet District Council to provide tangible support to households that would otherwise struggle during the cold weather.”
