The National Energy Foundation (NEF) has received a generous donation of £1 million from National Grid, which will be used to expand its Better Housing Better Health (BHBH) service into Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire, and Lincolnshire.
BHBH is a programme that aims to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable households by providing energy advice and practical support to help them achieve a warmer, more comfortable, and healthier home. The service is delivered by NEF in partnership with local authorities, health and social care providers, and other community organisations.
Thanks to National Grid’s donation, NEF will be able to extend the BHBH service to thousands of additional households in these three regions, helping to reduce fuel poverty, improve indoor air quality and prevent cold-related illnesses.
The expansion of the Better Housing Better Health service is particularly timely given the ongoing energy crisis. According to research by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero show, there were an estimated 3.26 million households (13.4%) in fuel poverty in England in 2022, this is up from 3.16 million (13.1%) in 2021. This can have serious health implications, particularly for vulnerable people such as the elderly, young children, and those with existing health conditions. It is projected that in 2023, fuel poverty will increase to 3.53 million households (14.4%) with the average fuel poverty gap rising by 31 percent in real terms to £443 (in 2022 prices).
Ali Vickers, Director of Operations at the National Energy Foundation said “We are incredibly grateful to National Grid for this generous donation, which will make a huge difference to the lives of many vulnerable people in these areas. By expanding our Better Housing Better Health service, we can help more households to access the support they need to live in warmer, healthier homes.”
The expansion of BHBH into Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire and Lincolnshire is expected to begin in the coming months, and NEF will be working closely with local partners to ensure that the service is tailored to the needs of each community.
