In Blackburn with Darwen, more than 16% of households are living in fuel poverty. In 2021 the Cadent Foundation awarded Care Network a £96,745 grant to fund ‘Happy and Healthy at Home’ - a two year project providing financial assistance for vulnerable households struggling with fuel payments.

The aim of the project was to help local residents on low incomes access a repair fund to have their boilers serviced or repaired and carry out improvements to make their homes more energy efficient. We also provided emergency fuel vouchers for those in immediate crisis.

James, our Chief Executive said,

“This project was devised to add value to our existing Healthy Homes service. We already had the partners and pathways to easily identify households that needed support, but this grant enabled us to fulfil our long-term aspiration of administering a discretionary pot of funding for vulnerable residents who cannot afford to undertake essential basic repairs in their home."

"We’ve been able to support 88 households to make essential repairs and improvements to keep their homes safe and warm, as well supporting 447 households with emergency fuel vouchers. We can demonstrate the significant positive impact this has had on fuel poor residents and as a result we’re now in a much stronger position to approach local businesses and funders to provide this support on a longer-term basis.”

One of our customers in receipt of the voucher said,

"The voucher was very welcomed at a time when all things have gone up. It has helped me a lot. I have Osteoarthritis, Asthma, COPD, Spondylitis as well as Sciatica and other illnesses, so I was very pleased and thankful for the voucher. My depression has gone down very much with receiving the voucher and I can’t thank you enough".

With an estimated 7.5 million people impacted by fuel poverty, Cadent's mission to help people find sustainable solutions to this growing issue remains vitally important. Low incomes and energy-inefficient homes are leaving many of us facing impossible choices, particularly here in BwD. It's in this area where our efforts in association with Cadent, can make the greatest positive difference.  
     
A new Impact Report has been launched by Cadent highliting the grants awarded in 2021 - 2022, and how the funding is being used to improve people’s lives. Want to find out more? Take a look at their insightful Case Study of Care Network and our work funded by the Cadent grant by clicking here.