Healthy Choices for Healthy Communities Bill Busters Project (Fuel Poverty) April 2016

Healthy Choices for Healthy Communities Who we are: Blackburn with Darwen Healthy Living is a Blackburn based charity who works to address health and social inequalities by facilitating and implementing community- led approaches to improve health within disadvantaged communities in the Borough. We have won the acclaimed National GSK King’s Fund IMPACT Award 2012, The Telegraph Business Award 2013, short listed for the National Fitness Award 2013, and runner – up for the Pat on the Back 2014 Background

Healthy Choices for Healthy Communities What is the Bill Busters Project “To enable fuel poor, vulnerable households to live in affordably warm, dry and comfortable homes, in control of their fuel use and fuel costs.” Currently funded by the Big Lottery, until 31 st March 2018

Healthy Choices for Healthy Communities What We Provide & Where Where: Borough wide service What: Home Visits  Help apply for fuel debt grants and Warm Home Discount Schemes  Negotiate payment plan for people who are in debt with energy company  Energy saving advice  Fuel switching  Budgeting advice  Installing energy saving measures in properties, where necessary (Draught proofing)  New heating system - boiler/central heating (depending on circumstances) Community Events Community Workshops (delivered by Volunteers)

Healthy Choices for Healthy Communities Fuel poverty/debt in Blackburn with Darwen There are 3 factors that determine whether a household is in fuel poverty The energy efficiency of the property Energy cost Household income In the recent Fuel Poverty Statistics produced by DECC for 2012 in BwD there are 7,937 households in fuel poverty. That’s one of the highest rate nationally, and worse than other comparable authorities. Within the LSOA Fuel Poverty can be high as 30% and based on that national statistics, this equates to 2% of these fuel poor residents in severe fuel debt, but statistical analysis cannot be used for identification so the fuel debt may well be greater than the national statistics may indicate.

Healthy Choices for Healthy Communities Conti … It is also particularly difficult as by large prior to getting to this stage residents will self disconnect as a means of regulating their expenditure. The physical impacts most commonly experienced by people living in cold homes are circulatory diseases and respiratory illness. (for older people the risk of heart attack and stroke is increased). The risk of asthma attacks is also increased (BwD has the second highest admission rates for asthma in the country) Cold homes also affect mental wellbeing. And poor mental health in young people is often the underlying factor behind risk taking behaviours (including smoking, alcohol, substance misuse and risky sexual activity with poor health outcomes, including teenage pregnancy, eating disorders, injuries, bulling and violent behaviour). Wellbeing fundamentally affects behaviour, social cohesion, social inclusion and prosperity.

Healthy Choices for Healthy Communities The following pictures shows how we lose heat in our homes

Healthy Choices for Healthy Communities Some stats …

Healthy Choices for Healthy Communities Thank you Any questions? Dilwara Ali