Energy Systems Catapult
Preventing households with respiratory conditions from living in a cold home
Our project at a glance
- Strategic priority area: Targeting geographic communities most at risk of fuel poverty
- Support target: 2,000 households over 16 months
- Duration: December 2024 to March 2026
- Investment: £1,550,000 over 16 months
- Forecast SROI: £3.12
Why we’re working together
With the cost-of-living crisis, high energy prices and the reduction in households receiving the Winter Fuel Payment, thousands of households are struggling to afford their energy bills. This makes maintaining a safe and warm home a very real challenge.
For people with respiratory, circulatory and mobility conditions, living in a cold home can make their health conditions worse.
We’ve partnered with Energy Systems Catapult on its pioneering Warm Home Prescription service. The service is embedded within the health sector to identify those most at risk from hospitalisation if they live in a cold home. The holistic programme provides households with energy advice and interventions to help households stay safe and warm, while delivering a broader social impact in alleviating pressure on the NHS.
By joining forces with Energy Systems Catapult, we’re able to expand the Warm Home Prescription service to support 2,000 households across Scotland and the south of England.
As well as providing immediate support to help vulnerable households stay safe and warm at home today, we’re also helping these households with long-term energy efficiency and low-carbon heating options to ensure they’re getting personalised support and access to help removing barriers faced in the transition to net zero.
Project objectives
- Providing one-to-one immediate and long-term energy advice on how to maintain a warm and healthy home
- Supporting the most vulnerable households with energy credit to pay for their heating over winter
- Providing home energy audits to assess and refer households for energy efficiency schemes
- Supporting eligible households to sign up for the Priority Services Register
- Raising awareness of carbon monoxide safety and providing free CO alarms to households most at risk of CO harm
How we’re working together
We’re working with health service partners to proactively identify and support households who are struggling to maintain a safe and warm home.
We’re targeting our holistic energy advice and support at households with people being admitted to emergency respiratory and winter clinics, as well as households with young children at risk of respiratory complications from living in a cold home.
The Energy System Catapult advisers provide the help households need for immediate warmth, including energy advice, energy debt support and energy credit. In addition, they support with longer-term measures to improve home energy efficiency and prepare for the net zero transition, such as smart meter installations and low-carbon heating schemes.
We’re engaging and delivering services over the phone, by letter, by email and by text message. We’re also offering home visits for those most in need of support to understand or benefit from advice.
How to get involved
Becoming a Warm Home Prescription partner
You can find out more about partnering with Energy Systems Catapult on the Warm Home Prescription service by emailing WHPProduct@es.catapult.org.uk.
This project is about saving lives. Every day, vulnerable people face the real threat of cold-related illness and death. By extending the Warm Home Prescription, we can offer immediate energy credits, expert advice, and comprehensive support to ensure that families stay warm and safe. Our mission is to prevent unnecessary deaths caused by cold homes and to help vulnerable households take control of their energy needs.