Help is at hand to heat your home this winter

Warm Homes Week is running from Monday, September 27^th and aims to put the spotlight on fuel poverty and raise awareness of the help that it out there for people who need support with heating their homes and with any energy supplier issues.

It is run by National Energy Action and is supported by various local organisations in Blackburn with Darwen.

There will be information stalls on Darwen Market on Monday 27^th Sept from 11am to 1pm and at Blackburn Market on Wednesday, September 29^th from 11am to 1pm.

Care Network will be on hand to give advice about the Healthy Homes Offer which offers all adults and families in Blackburn with Darwen expert knowledge, advice and support to help you to achieve a warm, hazard-free and energy-efficient home.

You can also contact Care Network on (01254) 507255 (option 1) or go to:

Healthy Homes | Care Network (Blackburn with Darwen) Ltd for more information.

Cosy Homes in Lancashire (CHiL) will also be at the markets – this is a partnership of the 15 Local Authorities in Lancashire, offering residents in the region access to free first time central heating, gas connections, affordable heating solutions, energy advice and support on a range of money saving energy measures to help you keep warm and save money.

You can find out more about CHiL and the help available at: Central Heating, Insulation & Boiler Grants Lancashire | CHiL

There is also support still available through the Covid Local Support Grant. This is funding to support families and children and other vulnerable adults through the winter and spring period to access food, support with utility bills and other essentials.

The programme is primarily for families with children under 19 as of who may not meet the threshold for benefits but have been affected directly by the pandemic through job losses, furlough, taking time off work unpaid to care for children who are isolating etc, and for those who are eligible for free school meals, healthy start vouchers, young people not in education or training.

The Council is working with Care Network, BwD Healthy Living, Jubilee Tower Credit Union, United Utilities and Rummage Rescuers to provide support with utility bills and essential items including broken washers, cookers, fridges and freezers, for boiler servicing and repairs.

People can self-refer by telephoning the Help Hub on (01254) 588111 between 9am – 5pm or anytime via the online form if you prefer.

Councillor Damian Talbot, Executive member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: Keeping people warm and healthy during winter is vitally important and a key priority for us, especially as part of our response to the pandemic. We’re all spending more time at home, which means more people may need support with fuel costs and affordable heating.”

This is really important as we head into winter, but even more so when considering the rise in energy prices that we are already seeing, the impact of the removal of the Universal Credit uplift and the end of furlough.

I hope anyone who might need some extra support will head down to the markets to speak to someone who may be able to help or take a look at the Care Network and CHiL websites and at the Covid Local Support Grant to see if they can access any of the help available.”