Energy network SGN has delivered over £67m in social value for vulnerable customers against a worsening picture of hardship for many households, according to its 2025 Vulnerability and Carbon Monoxide Allowance (VCMA) Annual Report.
Despite reaching more people than ever this year, we've seen a sharp rise in household hardship, with energy and debt arrears to utility companies up 91% in two years[1]. As part of a data-driven strategy, we've maximised the use of our data-led Vulnerability Index with the Energy Saving Trust to target support to the regions most in need.
Key outcomes of the report include:
- 766,950 households supported since April 2021, exceeding our original target of 250,000 households by 2026
- Over 1.5m unique support services delivered with 130-plus community partners, including 259,540 debt and benefits advice sessions and 162,294 personalised one-to-one energy advice sessions
- 141,796 food and fuel crisis vouchers have been provided to householders struggling to choose between heating or eating
- 326,743 carbon monoxide (CO) safety sessions being delivered by 134 approved energy safeguarding and carbon monoxide awareness initiatives, with training delivered to community frontline workers to help identify CO in the homes of vulnerable people
Simon Kilonback, CEO at SGN, said: “The cost-of-living crisis is still a daily reality for thousands of households up and down the country who struggle to balance a household budget and maintain a safe and warm home. In my first year as CEO at SGN, I’ve witnessed firsthand the impact that our people and partners are having on these households. It’s nothing short of exceptional.”
Working with partners and sharing their learnings with collaborators is a key part of our vulnerability strategy. SGN's support is delivered in collaboration with over 130 Safe & Warm partners, who provide targeted and trusted advice to the vulnerable customers they serve. In 2021, we committed to supporting 250,000 vulnerable households to use energy safely, efficiently and affordably but have now reached 766,950 households thanks to our partner-led approach.
To better reach households in the greatest need, we developed our Vulnerability Index with the Energy Saving Trust, using data and local insights to build community partnerships to take our help to communities most in need of support to maintain a safe and warm home.
This includes assistance for more than 13,000 households living with dementia, nearly 2,800 care leavers, over 42,000 young families, and 50,000 unpaid carers – alongside tailored outreach for over 520,000 older people.
Initiatives outlined in the report range from warm space programmes with the Scottish Professional Football League Trust to direct emergency help through warm hubs in partnership with Dementia Support Hampshire & IOW.
New partnerships with IncomeMax and IE Hub helped these households access unclaimed benefits and grants, and to unlock other financial support, such as eligibility for social tariffs. Funding for in-depth energy case worker support was also provided regionally with partners Age UK, Age Scotland, Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland.
We also lead the Gas Distribution Network Carbon Monoxide (CO) Working Group, which has enabled us to steer the national approach to reducing CO harm. By sharing best practices, SGN has facilitated the delivery of over 320,000 CO safety sessions across Scotland and Southern England.
Read the report in full here.
[1] Ofgem’s 2024 Debt Strategy: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/debt-strategy-reset-and-reform-customers-debt
