Tag: Changeworks

Climate Engagement Fund reopens

Supporting community climate action

Community groups, cultural organisations and education initiatives are amongst the Scottish organisations who will be able to bid for support from a fund aimed at engaging people in tackling the climate emergency.

The £275,000 Climate Engagement Fund will support activities such as climate festivals, skills development and training, art exhibitions and showcasing clean technologies – all focused on increasing people’s understanding of the current and future impacts of climate change and encouraging climate action.

Since launching in 2023, the annual fund has supported 24 projects across Scotland – reaching a total of around 22,000 people with knowledge and skills relevant to tackling climate change. 

In 2025-26, this has included action by Changeworks to encourage people living in park homes to improve the energy efficiency of their accommodation, and by the Forth Valley Sensory Centre to enable blind, partially sighted, deaf and hard of hearing people, to explore sustainability through their local communities.

Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin said: “It is vital that everyone in our society understands the positive opportunities of climate action, and how it can improve their own lives. 

“The Climate Engagement Fund will help increase awareness and empower people across Scotland to take action in their local communities whilst supporting Scotland in meeting its target of net zero emissions by 2045 and building our resilience to climate impacts.”

Changeworks’ Chief Executive Josiah Lockhart, said: “Climate Engaged Park Home Communities is a perfect example of how it’s possible – and necessary – to tackle climate change in ways that improve people’s lives at the same time.

“That means supporting and empowering communities to upgrade the energy efficiency of their homes, especially those communities who have been under-served in the past.”

Applications for the Climate Engagement Fund will close at 23:59 on 1st March 2026.

Apply to the Climate Engagement Fund

Half of Scots say their homes are too cold, with over a third worried about affording energy bills this winter

Fuel poverty in Scotland may be accelerating, with those under 35 particularly hard hit, according to new findings from Edinburgh-based energy efficiency social enterprise Changeworks.  

The organisation’s recent survey found that half of households in Scotland (50%) say their home is not as warm as they would like or is cold. The Scottish Government estimates that around a third (34%) of households in Scotland were in fuel poverty in its latest figures – from 2023.  

The survey, by 56 Degree Insight for Changeworks, also found that more than a third (37%) of Scots are extremely or very concerned about being able to afford their energy bills this winter, with concern rising to almost half of those under 35 (45%).  

Stigma around fuel poverty can prevent those living in cold homes and struggling with energy bills from seeking advice and support. As a result, the issue often goes underreported, leaving those in cold households across Scotland without the help they need.  

The coldness of many Scottish homes has knock-on effects for the wellbeing, work and productivity of employees, too. As a result, Changeworks is highlighting a unique opportunity for companies to engage with their staff on this issue through its Low Carbon Living sessions, as an important part of wider employee benefit and Environmental, Social and Governance provisions.  

Josiah Lockhart, Chief Executive of Changeworks, said: “Fuel poverty and the inefficiency of many Scottish homes affect an increasingly wide cross-section of society. 

“As part of growing efforts to tackle fuel poverty, there is now a significant opportunity for employers to engage with their people on this issue to improve wellbeing, reduce bills and ensure out-of-office working conditions support a productive workforce. 

“For employers in Edinburgh and the Lothians, our practical Low Carbon Living sessions deliver free energy and money-saving advice to workplaces and community groups, online or in person. 

“These sessions help to overcome the challenges identified in the latest survey, giving individuals the knowledge and support to make positive change in their homes that can benefit the environment, as well as the individual. 

“Personalised support is also available to households through our free and confidential Green Energy Helpline.” 

Commenting on the impact of Low Carbon Living sessions, Rob Turnbull, Sustainability Manager at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC), said: “The Low Carbon Living session was highly engaging and offered practical, easy-to-implement advice on energy use, heating, and electric vehicles.

“At the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, we are committed to educating our staff and encouraging low-carbon lifestyles, and this session was a valuable contribution to that work. We would happily recommend it to other organisations.” 

Professor Gary Hutchison, Chair of the Environmental Sustainability Strategy Board of Governance at Edinburgh Napier University, added: “At Edinburgh Napier, we believe that every action counts when it comes to environmental sustainability.

“By supporting our staff and students to make meaningful changes in their own lives, we’re benefiting not only ourselves, but also our local and wider community.

“Working with organisations like Changeworks allows us to inform and empower our University community and create positive change together.”

Over the last three years, Changeworks has supported 215,943 households across Scotland, helping to reduce bills and carbon emissions.  

In 2024-25 alone, Changeworks and its joint venture, Warmworks’ services, saved 366,677 tonnes of carbon, equivalent to the annual carbon emissions from 655,809 UK households’ electricity use. 

Tomorrow: Housing Drop-In at Royston Wardieburn

WEDNESDAY 28 MAY from 10am – 12 noon at ROYSTON WARDIEBURN COMMUNITY CENTRE

Housing information drop in this Wednesday at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre from 10am-12noon ☺️

Staff/advisors are coming from:

City of Edinburgh Council Housing

LIFT

Granton Information Centre

Changeworks

RIGHT THERE

Grab a cuppa and get some advice!

Energy advice at Heart of Newhaven

CHANGEWORKS SESSION – MONDAY 16 DECEMBER 11am – 12pm

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 Come along to the free energy advice event with Changeworks at the Heart of Newhaven on Monday 16th December from 11.00 -12.00 

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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.

#energyefficiency

#energysavings

#EnergySavingTips

#freeworkshop

Crewe Road homes get climate ready as Council improves social housing

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.

Changeworks energy advice at PCHP

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.

Extended funding to help more Council tenants with energy costs

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

Council and Changeworks insulate homes in Oxgangs

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.