Energy Safeguarding and CO Safety partnership

Delivered in partnership with Citizens Advice, and co-funded by the four UK Gas Distribution Networks, this project aims to support vulnerable households with a single point of contact for independent and bespoke support to keep a safe and warm home for less. Working through Citizens Advice's network of local Energy Advice Partnership Hubs, with the potential to access the full Citizens Advice network where required, the partnership will deliver:

• A pilot for the first three months to assess the benefit of the provision of an Energy and CO Safety pack for customers who are at risk of CO exposure that includes; a CO alarm, a CO safety leaflet, a thermometer card, information on how to access the Fuel Poor Network Extension Scheme (FPNES), and an energy saving advice leaflet. If successful we will look to amend the PEA to continue the provision of these for the full duration of the project.
• Dedicated frontline worker CO safety training provided for Citizens Advice energy advisors across 79 Local Citizens Advice hubs across England and Wales to educate them on the sources, signs and symptoms of CO poisoning (including the risks around low-level poisoning), what actions to take if CO poisoning is suspected, and what they can do to prevent CO. Enabling them to identify CO signs/risks and provide CO awareness sessions for the customers they support.
• CO awareness sessions provided to customers including key CO messaging; annual appliance testing, CO alarm maintenance, identifying signs/symptoms, and actions if CO exposure/presence is suspected.
• An extension of the existing Citizens Advice Energy Advice Programme (EAP) enabling more customers to be supported with energy advice - behavioural, providing information on how to save energy by personal action
• Energy Tariff support / advocacy - supporting people with energy bills, debt, switching, fuel bill renegotiation - support to be an active energy consumer
• Benefit entitlement checks to ensure customers are receiving the appropriate benefits and grants based on their individual circumstances, including but not limited to Warm Home Discount.
• PSR registrations to the energy PSR (ensuring where possible the 'tick' to share information beyond the DNO / Supplier)
• Locking Cooker Valve referrals into regional GDN where a need is identified to add a safety device to the gas cooker
• Onward referral support to address other barriers to living in a safe and warm home, this could include but is not limited to; emergency funds, housing support, food vouchers etc.

This project operates within all GDN networks and has been co-designed with Citizens Advice to find solutions that work for all our customers. It qualifies under the VCMA funding criteria as it will provide energy efficiency advice and CO safety advice/interventions, empowering each householder to use energy safely, efficiently, and affordably.