News
Money For Fuel Poor Remains Unspent
Fri, 4 May 2012An estimated 25% of a fund designed to help the poorest stay warm in their homes remained unspent at the end of March. Changing criteria for the Warm Front scheme and a lack of publicity both contributed to the fund not being claimed and fuel-poor households losing out according to the charity National Energy Action (NEA).
Warm Front, which closed at the end of March, provided heating and insulation improvements worth up to £6000 to households on certain income-related benefits living in properties that were poorly insulated and/or did not have a working central heating system. New, more rigorous criteria was applied in April 2011 and applications dropped off.
NEA and Consumer Focus ran a late joint awareness raising campaign towards the end of the schemes life to try to rectify the situation and this saw weekly applications to the scheme increase by 150%. The unspent money will be absorbed back into the treasury.
Bee a Supporter of the Bees!
Fri, 4 May 2012 Bees are vital to our food supply, our economy and our quality of life. Yet British bee numbers have fallen dramatically in recent years and the way we farm our food and plan our towns and cities is making the problem worse.
Sign Friends of the Earth’s petition which is calling for the creation of a National Bee Action Plan. www.foe.co.uk/what_we_do/bee_cause_petition_35038.html.
Focus Group: Smart Grid Technologies and Energy Usage
Mon, 23 April 2012MRFGR, a market research company, is currently looking for 18 respondents for a 3 hour focus group/workshop discussion in Hockerton (Nottinghamshire). The workshop will take place on 30th April from 1pm04pm and will look at energy usage and "smart grid" technologies in the home. Those in attendance will receive £50 as a 'thank you' for their input.
If you would like to be considered for the research then you need to complete a short 'screener' to determine your suitability: www.mrfgr.co.uk/survey_module/index.php?sid=86399&lang=en.
Energy Saving Trust Launches New Energy Saving Advice Service
Fri, 13 April 2012 The Energy Saving Trust has been awarded the contract to run the government’s new energy saving advice service. The telephone service will be open to the public’s call from April and replaces another telephone service also run by the EST. The service will now by centralised and run by Careline service, a contact centre outsourcing business.
www.energysavingtrust.org.uk / 0800 512 012
Helen Mirren Joins Campaign to Donate Winter Fuel Payments
Fri, 13 April 2012Helen Mirren has become the latest in a long line of celebrities to join a campaign to encourage wealthy pensioners to donate their winter fuel payment to those who genuinely need it to survive the cold weather.
Fuel winter payments are not currently means tested and are given to all pensioners, including those who can afford to pay their heating bills without help. At the same time, approximately 5.4 million households are in fuel poverty, which means they are spending more than 10% of their household income on their heating and power bills.
The Surviving Winter appeal hopes that with the help of those pensioners who do not need their payment they can reduce the number of old people who die from the cold: estimated at 25,400 last winter. The fund will be used to support local charities and community organisations that help all those at risk, not just pensioners, survive the cold temperatures of winter.
The campaign is also supported by Bruce Forsyth and Rosemary Conley.