CHANGEWORKS SESSION – MONDAY 16 DECEMBER 11am – 12pm
Come along to the free energy advice event with Changeworks at the Heart of Newhaven on Monday 16th December from 11.00 -12.00
Managing your heating and electricity can feel overwhelming.
Whether it’s understanding your bill, managing any debt, or accessing funding you’re entitled to – Changeworks can give you free and impartial advice and support to feel confident about your bills.
Hundreds of homes in Edinburgh are undergoing major energy upgrades – helping to tackle fuel poverty and carbon emissions in some of the city’s most deprived areas.
Edinburgh’s ambitious multi-million-pound retrofitting roll-out and mixed tenure improvements will make council homes ‘net zero ready’ in the coming years, with measures such as external wall insulation and solar panels being installed to improve living standards in many low-rise buildings and multi-storey blocks.
Marking the Council’s latest set of insulation upgrades, the Housing, Homeless and Fair Work Convener Jane Meagher visited tenants in the North of the city to see how their homes have been transformed.
Along Crewe Road North and Crewe Road Gardens, at least £2.23 million has been invested this year towards making 90 homes in mixed tenure buildings warmer and cheaper to heat. The vast majority of these (70) are Council homes.
Funded by a mix of EES/ABS grants, owner contributions and Council funding, properties in the area have benefited from external wall insulation and in many cases replacement roofing, with all works delivered by Insulated Render Systems (IRS) in partnership with the Council, Changeworks and Home Energy Scotland.
Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “It’s hard to describe the huge difference these measures will make: to the fabric and warmth of these homes, to people’s fuel bills and to the environment, and of course to the lives of everyone who lives in them now and in the future.
“By bringing these older homes up to a newer energy efficiency standard, we’re not only driving down carbon emissions, we’re clamping down on issues like damp and fuel poverty. It’s complex work but it’s vital because it prioritises our tenants and their living standards.
“It has been a pleasure to meet with some of the residents and to hear their feedback and I’m pleased to see the real difference the building work is making. The works taking place along Crewe Road are an indication of more upgrades to come. Just think what we could achieve if we were to receive the funding we need to roll this programme out even further, to improve even more of our tenants’ homes?
“I’m grateful to the partners involved in supporting this roll-out and to our tenants, whose rents help towards paying for improvements to council homes alongside grant funding. Edinburgh faces a Housing Emergency and we need to tackle it together.”
Josiah Lockhart, Chief Executive of Changeworks, said: “Changeworks has worked in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council on a number of EES ABS projects and it’s great to see the fabric improvements made to properties here on Crewe Road.
“Ongoing high energy costs mean that these energy efficiency projects make a real difference to householders, helping them stay warm and save energy as well as reducing carbon emissions.”
Green measures have also been installed to homes in Gilmerton, where over 180 eligible private home owners and tenants are benefitting from £2.5 million investment over two years towards solar PV panels and battery energy storage, external wall insulation and upgrades to the look of buildings. Future upgrades with Changeworks are also planned for homes in the Liberton area in the year ahead.
Elsewhere in the city, at least £2.2 million has been invested by the Council to transform a block of 36 homes in Oxgangs into a modern looking, sustainable building with upgrades to the roof and coverings, external walls, stairwells, and common landings.
The Council is now looking to undertake a whole house retrofit of the multistorey blocks May and Gunnet and is carrying out design work for blocks in Leith, Mixed tenure improvements also taking place in Lochend, Restalrig and in Wester Hailes.
FRIDAY 10th NOVEMBER from 9am – 11am
at PILTON COMMUNITY HEALTH PROJECT
This Friday, 10th of November, between 9:00 and 11:00 am, come to Pilton Community Health Project for much needed #energyadvice.
Changeworks will be here providing expert advice on how to #savemoney this winter while staying warm and cosy.
TUESDAY 24th OCTOBER from 11am – 1pm at PYCP
The City of Edinburgh Council is extending funding to its Energy Advice Service for Council tenants, helping even more households to cut down on costs and carbon emissions.
Funded by the Council and delivered by leading environmental charity Changeworks, the service aims to give tenants expert energy advice to help them save money on their bills. An additional £158,000 funding will increase the capacity of the service so that it can help to support even more tenants through the current energy crisis and beyond.
Councillor Jane Meagher, Edinburgh’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “At a time when energy costs are soaring, the help provided by the Energy Advice Service is vital.
“Over 4,400 of our tenants have saved £1.5m between them since the project began so I’m really pleased to extend this support even further. The move will provide tenants with the opportunity to speak to someone about their bills, reduce carbon emissions and hopefully save money.
“Since the start of the cost-of-living crisis we have been encouraging tenants to get in touch with us if they are struggling financially. It’s so important to make sure people are getting all the benefits and advice they are entitled to and we have a wealth of support and information online.”
The Energy Advice Service has been available to City of Edinburgh Council tenants since 2018 and allows tenants to phone or email to speak with an expert advisor at Changeworks, who gives them free and impartial energy advice and support with issues such as energy debt.
It has been making a real difference to tenants accessing the free service. Between October and December last year, after speaking with an advisor 75% of people using the service said they felt confident dealing with their energy issues, compared to just 23% before using the service.
Tenants using the service also had positive feedback about their experience using the service, with one tenant commenting: “The advisor took a lot of weight and stress away at that time, made me feel more relaxed, [it] helped me with my health.”
Another tenant went on to explain that the advice wasn’t just supporting them, but also their family: “With all the knowledge the advisor has given me, I have been able to pass that onto my family and friends, so she’s helped more than just me.”
Lisa Bygate, Affordable Warmth Service Team Manager at Changeworks said: “In the current environment we’re seeing a greater need for more in-depth support with complex energy related issues, such as fuel debt.
“We’re also seeing demand for the Energy Advice Service increase. This additional funding is going to allow us to help more people and give them more support in more complex cases.”
City of Edinburgh Council tenants can access the service by calling 0800 870 8800 or visiting www.changeworks.org.uk/referral.
To find out more about the service and other ways City of Edinburgh Council is supporting residents with energy costs, visit www.edinburgh.gov.uk/housing-support-advice/home-energy
In partnership with the leading environmental charity Changeworks, the City of Edinburgh Council is helping homeowners transform the energy efficiency of their homes.
Making 166 homes in Oxgangs warmer and fit for the future by improving external wall insulation, more than 50 properties have already received major improvements with over a hundred others to be completed by the Spring.
Funding is provided by the Scottish Government through the Energy Efficient Scotland; Area based Scheme (EES:ABS). These area-based schemes are designed and delivered by councils with local delivery partners. They target fuel-poor areas to provide energy efficiency measures to a large number of Scottish homes while delivering emission savings and helping to reduce fuel poverty.
The schemes in Oxgangs are helping households make major improvements to their home at a significantly lowered cost. Some households even qualify to have the work done for free, completely removing the financial burden for households at a time when that relief could not be more needed. Installing insulation makes it cheaper and easier to heat the home, meaning householders can expect to save on their heating bills.
Oxgangs is an area that does suffer from a higher rate of poverty than other areas of the city and all houses included in the project are in Council Tax bands A to C. This project, with a total funding of £1.9 million, is targeted at reaching those most in need. The EES:ABS scheme is open to private householders and mixed tenure blocks have been targeted too, benefitting both social housing tenants and private householders. The Council is directly funding the works to Council homes.
Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: Most of the homes in the area are receiving external wall insulation which means their homes will keep more heat in. This is important because it means more Oxgangs residents are going to see their homes stay warmer for longer, at a time when temperatures are low but energy bills are worryingly high.
As people become more conscious of their energy use, these projects will have a real impact – both on the planet and Edinburgh’s net zero goals and on the lives of homeowners and tenants who need this support now, more than ever.
One resident who received the external wall insulation is Catherine Murray, who says she’s “delighted” with the difference it’s made. She said: “My house is warmer, much warmer, it’s really noticeable. I don’t need the heating on as much, I put it on in the morning and then the house is fine until I put it on again at about 7 or 8 until I go to bed. If I’m in the living room, it contains the heat.
“We’re on the main road and the people that pass stop and look, it’s amazing. People stop to comment on it.
“It really brightens the place up, I don’t get out much anymore but when I do, it makes you feel better when you do come into the area, you can really see the difference between the ones that have been done and the ones that haven’t been done, it’s great. I really appreciate the work that’s been done.”
Most of the homes in the area are receiving external wall insulation installed by contractor SERS. Not only does this mean that their homes will keep more heat in, keeping them warmer for longer and requiring less energy to heat, it provides a complete refresh of the outside of the property too.
With it being an external insulation measure, there’s no work done inside the house.
Alongside the Oxgangs project which is currently underway there are four other retrofit schemes in Edinburgh which form part of the EES:ABS 2022/23 programme.
These include an external wall insulation and solar PV scheme in Gilmerton, a fabric improvement programme in Murrayburn and Drumbryden, a citywide internal wall insulation roll out and hard-to-treat cavity and solar PV works across the EH16 and EH17 postcode areas.
To register your interest in similar schemes should they become available in your area, fill in this simple online form.
TOMORROW AT ROYSTON WARDIEBURN COMMUNITY CENTRE
ROYSTON WARDIEBURN’s ADULT WINTER PROGRAMME:
Changeworks is delivering a series of food waste engagement activities in Edinburgh on behalf of the city council. The aim of these activities is to engage Edinburgh residents in food waste recycling and increase food waste recycling participation across Edinburgh.
The project includes a city wide social media campaign and two locality projects in Carrick Knowe and Balgreen.
Staff and volunteers from Changeworks, will engage with residents in these areas by providing advice, guidance and practical tools to support food waste recycling. The team will also measure kerbside food waste recycling participation rates to measure success.
If you would like find out more about this project please email us.
Edinburgh residents struggling with rising energy costs are being offered advice and support with their bills as part of a city-wide campaign aimed at helping those most in need.
Run by the City of Edinburgh Council in partnership with Changeworks and Home Energy Scotland, the campaign seeks to support people experiencing, or most at risk from, fuel poverty with energy savings advice so they can save money on their bills.
As well as helping residents find out if they’re eligible for grants or funding for energy efficiency home improvements, help is also being offered to people dealing with fuel debt and high energy
prices.https://www.youtube.com/embed/fLEMCaTKgdM
In key areas of the city, home owners and private tenants are being urged to call Home Energy Scotland for support, free on 0808 808 2282 and Council tenants are being urged to call the Energy Advice Service for free on 0800 870 8800.
They can also visit www.edinburgh.gov.uk/EnergyAdvice for more information.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “This valuable campaign comes at a time when many households across the city will be faced with a choice of heating their homes or eating – due to rising food and energy bills as well as a £1,000 cut in universal credit payments for those who need support most- all contributing to this cost of living crisis.
“We want to do all we can to help make sure people most at need are able to access the advice and support available to them so that they can live in warmer, more comfortable homes.
“I urge anyone in the city struggling with their bills to call Home Energy Scotland or the Energy Advice Service so they can get the support they need today.”
Depute Leader Cammy Day added: “Rising home energy costs are leaving many people across Edinburgh worried about how they will pay their gas and electricity bills.
“We want to make sure that people know there is help and support there for them. If you’re a Council tenant, this is through our Energy Advice Service, run in partnership with Changeworks, and for people who own their own home, support is there from Home Energy Scotland.
“Their advisors have lots of excellent advice and tips to help people save money on bills so get in touch as they will be happy to share them. Making a few small changes can add up to a big difference.”
Laura Webb, Fuel Poverty and Low Carbon Operations Director at Changeworks said: “Through our work delivering the Home Energy Scotland service in the South East of Scotland and providing the Energy Advice Service for City of Edinburgh Council tenants we have seen increasing demand for support as people find themselves struggling with high bills and fuel debt.
“Our expert advisors are here to help and are already working hard to help Edinburgh residents save money and lessen the impacts of rising fuel costs.
“We are delighted to be working in partnership with City of Edinburgh Council on this campaign and encourage the people of Edinburgh to get in touch for further support.”
Last year, 790 Council tenants were supported through the Energy Advice Service with gas and electricity billing issues and with support around supplier debt. The service also gained around £170,000 of savings for the tenants.
Home Energy Scotland has also helped 24,000 homeowners and private tenants across Scotland to benefit from the Scottish Government funded Warmer Homes Scotland programme since it launched in 2015. Eight out of ten have received completely free energy efficiency improvements, with each of them also saving on average around £300 on their energy bills per year.
Home Energy Scotland is a free advice service funded by the Scottish Government. They work hand in hand with the Council’s Energy Advice Service to make sure people in Edinburgh get all the support they need from their friendly advisors.
£33,000 funding secured from the Scottish Government to help with fuel poverty debts
Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA), in partnership with Changeworks, has secured £33,000 in funding from the Scottish Government and Scottish Federation of Housing Associations to support tenants with existing fuel poverty related debts.
The fund ensures we can support up to 50 households with this issue until the end of March 2022.
Currently, 21% of Edinburgh households live in fuel poverty, rising to 44% for social housing tenants. In Leith, 24% households live in material deprivation which has been further exacerbated by the pandemic.
Affordable Warmth Services Team Manager at Changeworks, Lisa Bygate, commented: “Through our work on the Link-Up Leith project we have seen increasing demand for support as people find themselves struggling with high bills and fuel debt.
“We are now seeing the highest incidences of households at risk of disconnection since the project started. This much welcomed funding will support people living on low incomes to have improved life skills and confidence to tackle fuel poverty issues themselves.
“We are delighted to be strengthening our partnership with Port of Leith Housing Association to provide support to their tenants and Leith residents with energy debt. We will be working closely with their welfare rights staff and other members of the Link-Up Leith project to identify and provide assistance to those who need it.”
PoLHA Group Chief Executive, Heather Kiteley, said: “I’m thankful that we have secured this funding to help our community during this time of rapidly escalating fuel costs.
“We are committed to ensuring our tenants’ welfare and I’m proud that the PoLHA Group has been able to react so quickly to our tenants’ needs and provide vital support.”
Eligible tenants will be identified for this grant through PoLHA’s Tenant Advice Service and Changeworks existing Link-Up Leith project run in partnership with Edinburgh Community Food and Stepping Stones.
Changeworks will also identify people eligible for support through referrals to their Affordable Warmth Service.
How to apply
Tenants can apply for the fund by speaking to their Housing Officer or our Tenant Advice team who can make a referral to Changeworks.
Other services
PoLHA offers the following support services to social housing tenants: welfare benefits advice, money advice and tenancy sustainment advice.
Visit advice and support for help.
