Thanks to generous funding from E.ON Next Energy and Octopus Energy, Age UK Milton Keynes will be delivering the Warm Homes Programme.
With the Chancellor’s announcement in July around the introduction of means-testing of Winter Fuel Payments (WFP), we know now more than ever, how crucial it is to continue Age UK Milton Keynes’ work in supporting older people during the colder months. This support will help alleviate the effects of fuel poverty and cold-related ill health on older people.
The Warm Homes Programme, run by Age UK National, is now in its 14th year and will focus on helping older people who are on a low income or have energy-inefficient housing, and will raise awareness of the different ways to save energy within the home and how best to keep warm. Age UK Milton Keynes’ goal is to help older people in Milton Keynes stay warm and healthy through winter by receiving a home assessment through their Home Energy Check service.
The Home Energy Checks consist of -
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- A trusted handyperson visiting your home to check how energy efficient it is.
- Fitting equipment to increase energy efficiency, such as:
- energy saving light bulbs
- draught excluders
- reflective radiator panels
- The handyperson can also offer practical tips to help you keep your fuel bill down.
In previous years, the Warm Homes Programme has conducted 3,668 home energy checks, benefiting 5,150 older people by helping them save energy. The installation of 16,500 energy-efficient devices resulted in an average fuel savings of £85,180 across the last financial year.
Ankur*, who received a home energy check last year said: “I was given practical help and introduced to solutions I didn’t know existed. The handyman who came to my house listened to my problems and helped solve them.”
To learn more about our free Home Energy Check service and to see if you are eligible, visit www.ageuk.org.uk/miltonkeynes or call 01908 550700.
