We brought together our charity and community partners from across central and west Scotland to strengthen support for vulnerable households as they head into the winter months.
The event, held at the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) headquarters in Cambuslang, was one of two partner events that we organised in Scotland focused on building closer partnerships, improving referral pathways and increasing awareness of the support available to vulnerable households.
SGN works with 39 partner organisations across Glasgow, North and South Lanarkshire, Inverclyde, Argyll and Bute, Ayrshire, Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire. Together, we connect households with a wide range of practical support to help them use energy safely, efficiently and affordably.
Organisations represented at the Cambuslang event form part of our Safe and Warm network and included Age Scotland, Children's Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS), Citizens Advice Scotland, ALIenergy, Down’s Syndrome Scotland, Citrus Energy, Vector24, The Wise Group and West of Scotland Regional Equality Council.
One in three households in Scotland are living in fuel poverty, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing communities across the country. SGN’s frontline engineers visit around 300,000 homes each year, often meeting people who may need additional support.
Margaret Hamilton, Community Partnership Manager, said:
"No single organisation can provide all the support a household might need, which is why strong local partnerships are so important.
"We have 39 partners across central and west Scotland, each bringing different expertise and trusted relationships within their communities. By bringing those organisations together, we can learn from each other, strengthen referral pathways and make it easier to connect people with the right support.
“The impact of our Safe and Warm network over the past five years shows what can be achieved through collaboration. But we know the need for support remains significant, particularly as households head into the colder months. That’s why it’s important we continue strengthening these partnerships, reaching people who may otherwise struggle to access help and making sure they are connected with the right support.”
Cathy Barlow, SFRS' Deputy Head of Prevention, said:
"Working closely with SGN and their partner organisations is an important part of helping us reach people who may be more vulnerable to fire and other risks in the home.
"Events like this give us the opportunity to share knowledge about the support available, build stronger connections between services and help frontline organisations recognise where someone may need additional help.
"It was great to welcome so many organisations to our headquarters in Cambuslang and share the work we do to help keep people safe in their homes."
Since 2021, we have worked with 140 organisations across our Scotland and southern England networks to support 1,372,894 vulnerable households. Together, we have delivered 3.24 million individual energy support services, generating more than £210 million in social value.
Despite that progress, the need for support continues. With colder weather bringing additional pressures for households already struggling with energy costs and other financial challenges, SGN and its Safe and Warm network partners are continuing to strengthen local referral networks so people can access the right help when they need it.
