Local councils and volunteer groups across the UK are organizing ‘heat banks’ to provide shelter this winter for those unable to afford skyrocketing energy bills as concerns mount over the impact of the crisis on the cost of living.
Charitable groups and local government networks contacted by the Financial Times reported that they were actively planning the so-called heat hubs after last week’s announcement by energy regulator Ofgem that average household bills will exceed £3,500 from October.
The cap far surpassed previous forecasts, with industry advisers now predicting that bills could exceed £6,600 in the spring, dwarfing the government’s current offer of around £1,200 to support the poorest families.
Allison Riddell, the parish council clerk in Brampton, a small town in northern Cumbria, said she was aware of elderly residents who were already eating sandwiches and other cold foods because they were too concerned about the cost of running them. from their stoves.
“It breaks my heart,” she said, explaining that the council plans to use the local Moot Hall as a winter retreat. “Our building is not huge, but can comfortably accommodate 30-40 people. We provide books and games, etc., and we are investigating whether we can offer hot drinks,” said the woman.
Other local government groups, from small parish councils to larger city authorities including Bristol, Gateshead, Cheltenham and Sheffield, said they were planning to use public buildings, including libraries and leisure centers, to provide heat.
Local government budgets have faced 30 per cent austerity in real terms over the past decade and with the value of subsidies eroded by inflation, which is now above 10 per cent, many community groups are reactivating old Covid-19 volunteer networks to implement the arrangements.
Alison Dunn, Gateshead Municipality Coordinator warm spaces networksaid the scheme involving more than 50 local groups was conceived after support groups such as the Citizens Advice Bureau realized that traditional tips on saving energy were not enough in the face of the current crisis.
“There is no [government] money to run these hubs, so we’ve asked for expressions of interest so we can use community activism to support the program that provides everyone with a warm space and a hot drink, no questions asked,” she said.
Mazher Iqbal, a Sheffield councilor, said his council was sifting through budgets, including NHS winter emergency funds, to provide additional support for their own warm space network.
Bristol City Council said it is also working with civil society organizations to open a network of ‘welcome spaces’ for residents, providing warmth, companionship and practical services such as phone charging and free Wi-Fi. Cheltenham Borough Council said it was discussing similar plans.
Sue Collins, lower left, chair of the Bungay Community Support group © Paul Grover/Telegraph 2022
Horden Parish Council in County Durham, which has a high percentage of low-income residents, said the hub would allow everyone to get a hot drink, participate in hobby activities and board games, as well as host webinars on health and energy management.
Many of the parish council’s plans are modeled on the pioneering efforts of Bungay, a small Suffolk town that had heat centers last year, which proved popular with residents struggling to pay bills.
Sue Collins, chairman of the Bungay Community Support group, said it improved its offering this year. “Last year it was mostly older people, but we expect there could be families this time as parents want to be around children at home,” she said.
The fact that so much of the provision comes from the voluntary sector highlights the greater role of charities in the UK’s social safety net, according to campaign groups, who urged the government to provide more support.
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Peter Smith, policy director at advocacy group National Energy Action, said government intervention was needed to create a more systemic offering.
“The government must support local communities to accommodate these warm, safe spaces,” he said. “One of the immediate steps could be an exemption from VAT and business rates for those who offer these places.”
Adam Lent, chief executive of the think tank and local government network New Local, said that while municipalities and communities acted, it was no alternative to a response from central government.
“We must accept that in an increasingly volatile world, local public services and community groups are a vital source of support and swift action. Westminster should urgently provide them with sufficient funding to allow this community-driven approach to flourish,” he added.
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