npower Health Through Warmth Warmer Homes, Better Health

npower’s Health Through Warmth scheme is like no other. It’s a lifeline for some of the most vulnerable people in England and Wales, providing warmth and comfort when they need it most.

npower Health Through Warmth helps people most in need.National Energy Action, the national fuel poverty charity, has worked with npower since the launch of Health Through Warmth in 2000 as a founding partner alongside the NHS. I have personally worked on the scheme since its inception and its achievements have surpassed any initial ambitions we all had some 16 years ago.

Since Health Through Warmth was launched National Energy Action and others have campaigned hard to address the health inequalities caused by living in cold and damp homes. The evidence that the Health Through Warmth scheme has provided in terms of case studies of those helped has enabled us to demonstrate how real the impacts are, and how effective the solutions can be.

Cold homes are a bigger killer than smoking, lack of exercise and alcohol abuse; many more thousands suffer the health impacts of the cold. We know that children living in cold housing conditions are more than twice as likely to suffer from breathing problems, including asthma and bronchitis.

Providing vulnerable people with a more energy efficient and warmer home can prevent people becoming ill or break the cycle of readmissions to hospital. This can save Health and Wellbeing Boards and the NHS valuable resources – the current scale of the problem in England alone costs health services approximately £3.6 million per day.

Health Through Warmth works because it targets those that are most in need and helps all consumers whatever their age. npower Health Through Warmth helps all energy consumers, not just their own customers, demonstrating real corporate social responsibility. The latter is evidenced by the number of awards the programme has received over the last 16 years.

NEA looks forward to continuing to work with npower on this and other innovative programmes that help some of the four million UK households that live in fuel poverty and are unable to access equal life chances.

Maria WardrobeDirector of Communicationsand External RelationsNational Energy Action

Health Through Warmth is a unique scheme demonstrating corporate responsibility in action. It has been offering those with long-term illnesses help to keep warm for 16 years. Whether an npower customer or not, we install and repair heating systems and provide insulation measures for people who cannot afford to repair, replace or install systems themselves.

In 2016, we helped 2,700 people – on average 8 people per day. We’ve installed 575 boilers and 300 central heating systems and, as a direct result, 83% of clients reported an improvement in health and general well-being after heating measures had been installed.

I am immensely proud of the help we provide and we are continuing to evolve the scheme to support those most in need. Our new Rapid Care Fund delivers help within 21 days to get the heating and hot water back on. This is a lifeline for those in desperate need and our referrers frequently tell us that having access to Rapid Care has transformed lives.

Paul CoffeyChief Executivenpower

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What is Health Through Warmth?

npower’s Health Through Warmth scheme is like no other. It’s a lifeline for some of the most vulnerable people in England and Wales, providing warmth and comfort when they need it most.

Health Through Warmth was set up in 2000 in partnership with National Energy Action, the national fuel poverty charity, and the National Health Service (NHS) to combat a very urgent and serious issue – the significant and rising number of excess winter deaths in England and Wales. The scheme improves levels of warmth, comfort and quality of life for people with long-term illnesses exacerbated by cold living conditions, who can’t afford to install or repair heating systemsor insulation measures.

To be eligible, these clients should own their home, have a long-term illness, broken or inadequate heating or insulation and have low household income or savings. They don’t need to be in receipt of benefits or become npower customers.

Rapid Care Fund: In 2016, Health Through Warmth set up the innovative Rapid Care Fund, giving urgent assistance within 21 days for the most vulnerable clients who have severe health issues or have been without heating for a long time. In addition, the standard Crisis Fund also helps to part-fund measures and unlock additional funding for clients by working with partner organisations to deliver Health Through Warmth locally.

The Rapid Care Fund and standard Crisis Fund measures include:

• boiler repair or replacement• heating systems or appliances

repair/replacement• cavity wall and loft insulation installation• energy efficiency advice• benefits advice.

Why Health Through Warmth is so important

Health Through Warmth was designed to help people who are outside statutory grant eligibility for heating measures. It aims to help those who may ‘fall through the net’ when looking for help from other schemes or energy suppliers.

In 2014-15 there were almost 44,000 excess winter deaths – the highest figure since 1999. Around 10% of households (2.3m) in England are classed as fuel-poor. Sadly, deaths are largely from cold-related illnesses and a cold home with lack of insulation or heating is a major factor.

Annually, the NHS is estimated to spend over £1 billion treating cold-related illnesses, such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases**.

Awareness of the above factors were critical in launching the new Rapid Care Fund, giving 21-day help for those desperately needing it. npower’s Health Through Warmth scheme offers a lifeline for those on low incomes falling outside statutory grant eligibility for heating and insulation. Health Through Warmth frequently receives positive feedback and clients and referrers have told us that having access to Rapid Care has transformed lives.

Links between fuel poverty and ill health According to Timothy Williams, Public Health Manager, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, the links between ill health and fuel poverty are widely recognised. Living in a cold home can cause or exacerbate mental ill health – including isolation and depression – plus physical ill health, especially circulatory and respiratory. Cold homes are linked to asthma, eczema, coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart attacks, strokes, falls and hypothermia.

Children living in cold homes are three times more prone to suffering from asthma and other respiratory conditions. They’re 30% more likely to be admitted to hospital in the first three years and are 29% more likely to be underweight.

They’re more likely to experience stress, anxiety and depression due to both the cold itself and to being unable to invite friends back to their homes. Older people are more likely to fall and fracture bones due to the chronic effects of cold and damp and draughty homes; which can lead to disability, dependence and depression.

Evidence suggests by tackling fuel poverty, there are significant benefits for health, savings for health and social care and benefits for the wider public. Healthier people not only cost the NHS less money, but they can contribute more to the workplace and children are more likely to have higher school attendance and educational attainment.

*Results of OnePoll survey **Figures according to Age UK report 2012

“ The npower Health Through Warmth scheme plays a key role in helping to address these issues for vulnerable people, who fall outside of statutory grants for heating measures, providing much needed support.” Timothy Williams, Public Health Manager, East Riding of Yorkshire Council

40% of people have struggled to heat their homes because of broken boilers or heating systems*

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Success so far

Health Through Warmth success from 2000 to 2016.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council“ East Riding of Yorkshire Council is proud to be continuing its partnership work with npower. The Health Through Warmth scheme is crucial to supporting many of our must vulnerable residents, helping them to stay in their own homes. Without the scheme they would struggle to stay warm and their health would deteriorate further.” Paul Abbott, Public Protection Group Manager, East Riding of Yorkshire Council

Foundations Independent Living Trust“ Working in partnership with the npower Health Through Warmth scheme has enabled us to help people in need across England to access financial and practical support to keep warm, safe and well. The Health Through Warmth Crisis Fund is life saving for many households and is making a real difference in improving vulnerable people’s lives.” Jon Trigg, Foundations Independent Living Trust, Trustee

Health Through Warmth client surveys in 2016 reveal that:

99% of clients were warmer after Health Through Warmth measures (exceeding target of 98%)

100% of clients experienced improved levels of comfort after Health Through Warmth measures (exceeding target of 80%)

83% of clients reporting an improvement in health and general well-being (exceeding target of 80%)For every £1 npower Health Through Warmth Crisis Fund spent, Health

Through Warmth has generated extra funding for clients of at least £6. Health Through Warmth significantly contributes to npower’s Corporate Responsibility objectives with activities that have a social and environmental benefit by:

• Improving the living conditions, warmth and well-being of vulnerable clients, helping them to remain independent at home for longer

• Engaging and educating employees about vulnerability and the relationship between health and cold homes

• Reducing CO2 emissions by installing energy-efficient boilers or insulation.

npower Health Through Warmth’s partnership approach has been the catalyst for maximising impact by pooling of resources from various organisations, both financial and ‘in kind’. The scheme has five main delivery partners: two local authorities and three charities (see page 8 & 9) who deliver the scheme locally for npower.

11,489 loft insulation installations

81,202

vulnerable households helped

19,400 key community workers trained

£73.8m levered from charities, government etc.

£86.6m total value of measures installed

11,006 central heating systems installed

£12.8m npower Health Through Warmth Crisis Fund spent

7,375 cavity wall insulation installations

10,255 boilers installed

3,036 boiler repairs

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A holistic service for people in need

Health Through Warmth has a dedicated team supporting clients to secure funding for and installing heating and insulation.

The Health Through Warmth team offer a holistic service, they do everything they can to help, including giving advice and referring them where appropriate to:

• The npower Vulnerable Customer Team for help and support with registering on the Priority Services Register, Warm Home Discount scheme and with energy debt through npower’s Energy Fund

• Accessing Energy Company Obligation grants• npower’s Macmillan Fund, supporting people

living with cancer who are struggling with their energy costs by capping energy bills and writing off debt

• Local home improvement or care and repair agencies for help staying independent at home for as long as possible

• Food banks for emergency food parcels• Charities – engaged with 320 charitable

organisations to help fund measures for clients

• Charities who can help with a range of additional support e.g. white goods, respite breaks, regular additional income or funeral debt

• Benefits advice to maximise income.

A wide range of internal stakeholders also support Health Through Warmth. They raise awareness of the scheme, advise on Government policy and the broader vulnerable customer framework, provide access to MPs and help to refer clients. These internal stakeholders include senior directors, contact centre staff, Government Relations and the Corporate Responsibility Team.

Marjorie, from Beverley, has depression and also suffers with lichen planus. Her home only had a few storage heaters and there was no heating in any of the bedrooms or the bathroom.

After being referred to npower Health Through Warmth by her doctor, the local scheme coordinator, based at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, helped Marjorie to get a grant from Northern Gas Networks to connect gas to her home.

Installation of a new gas central heating system was arranged. The Health Through Warmth coordinator discovered that Marjorie also

had electricity debt with npower and helped her to successfully apply for assistance from the npower Energy Fund, managed by Charis Grants, and the debt was written off.

Marjorie said: “ The difference having central heating has made to me is unbelievable. I’m very grateful for the help from Health Through Warmth and all the other organisations.”

Elaine has asthma and osteoporosis, which can get worse with cold living conditions. Elaine had a coal-fuelled central heating system that only worked intermittently and required constant refuelling to heat her home. The system was hard to manage and affected her respiratory health.

Elaine contacted the local Health Through Warmth coordinator at Leicester City Council who found funding for a new boiler and arranged for it to be installed.

Elaine was very grateful for the help she received from Health Through Warmth. She’s much more comfortable now and looks forward to putting the heating on, knowing that the boiler is reliable and the system is easy to manage. When her grandchildren visit, they can now play in a warm environment and she doesn’t worry about them feeling cold.

Charlotte has severe asthma, allergies and 90% loss of hearing. She lives with her mother, Lisa, who has reoccurring meningitis. When their old heating system broke down, Lisa couldn’t afford to replace it and their home became bitterly cold and damp.

After contacting her local council, Lisa was referred to the Health Through Warmth team and received a new central heating system.

Lisa said: “ The house actually feels like a home now. It’s so nice waking to find that the bedding is dry and that the walls aren’t running wet. Since the work was done, we’ve been living in a warm home and my daughter’s asthma has considerably improved.”

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Working with communities

Health Through Warmth develops strong networks both within communities and nationally through relationships with the Committee on Fuel Poverty, MPs and Ministers, Department of Health, Department for Business, Energy and Industry, National Energy Action and charitable organisations including Macmillan Cancer Support.

By working with other organisations that address the issues of health inequalities, social deprivation, vulnerability and fuel poverty we’ve developed knowledge and expertise which reflect our corporate values. By partnering with other organisations and community groups on a long-term basis, there’s more scope to impact the community in a positive and sustainable way and benefit the business through improved and enhanced reputation.

Foundations Independent Living TrustFoundations Independent Living Trust supports and assists people to live with dignity in their own homes. They give immediate help for urgent small home improvements for disabled or older adults when other funding streams aren’t available.

The Health Through Warmth partnership with npower gives access to much needed funding and delivers fast and responsive solutions to help support people in need to stay warm and well in their homes.

One of the keys to the Health Through Warmth partnership is how the funding’s flexibility lets the trust work with its local community network of home improvement agencies to deliver a range of measures to support vulnerable people to remain independent at home.

East Riding of Yorkshire CouncilHealth Through Warmth in the East Riding has helped over 5,000 households suffering from cold-related health conditions in the last 12 years.

This unique scheme helps the council deliver its key objective, supporting vulnerable people. This simple referral mechanism has been embedded within the council’s Affordable Warmth Strategy, so local partners can refer people for help through heating, insulation, benefits, fire safety and energy advice. It’s helped reduce fuel poverty, excess winter deaths and carbon emissions, while improving the health and well-being of residents.

Due to the npower’s Health Through Warmth safety net, the council can respond in emergency circumstances when there is no other aid available.The success in East Riding clearly shows the value of working in partnership to deliver help to so many vulnerable people.

Energy Projects PlusEnergy Projects Plus is a registered charity helping Merseyside and Cheshire residents get affordable warmth through advice and information, home visits, training, grant management, fuel debt support and applications to funders on behalf of clients.

Energy Projects Plus has worked with npower’s Health Through Warmth scheme on Merseyside since 2003 and it’s still a flagship programme for the charity. It’s helped the charity strengthen its relationships with local authority partners and other sectors and teamwork with existing and new partners, such as food banks or community advice organisations. Health Through Warmth has helped the charity develop strong referral networks that offer complementary support such as tackling fuel bills or debt. Crucially, npower’s funding of over £1m for essential heating and insulation on Merseyside has unlocked match funding of over £6.5m from local authority or other charity funds. Without its support, other local projects would not be able to support a significant number of vulnerable clients, who would be left without adequate warmth.

Leicester City CouncilLeicester City Council’s Home Energy Office tackles fuel poverty and affordable warmth. They give advice and assistance to help make private sector households more energy efficient.

The Council’s ongoing partnership with npower Health Through Warmth lets them target and assist the most vulnerable households within the city and identify further initiatives and programs that they may benefit from. The partnership with npower Health Through Warmth is a valuable asset to the Council. It provides financial support which would otherwise be inaccessible.

It has also generated numerous networking opportunities, which have formed new stronger relationships with the local Clinical Commissioning Group and social services, to more robustly tackle excess winter deaths throughout the city.

Our partners Care & Repair Cymru“A Wales where all older people can live independently in safe, warm, accessible homes.” is the vision of Care & Repair Cymru, a registered charity, and the national body for Care & Repair in Wales.

It represents 13 Welsh Care & Repair Agencies – and every year it helps about 30,000 older people, living in their own homes or privately renting, by tackling housing problems such as disrepair, fall hazards, cold, damp, dangerous or inaccessible housing.

npower’s Health Through Warmth scheme gives Care & Repair Cymru a practical solution to the problems of thousands of older people living in cold homes and fuel poverty. It helps them take a whole house approach and has proved to be an invaluable solution for both caseworkers and clients, where all other avenues of charitable or grant funding has been exhausted.

The partnership with Health Through Warmth has worked extremely well over a number of years, with active listening, learning, development and improvement so that the scheme is responsive and provides help when and where it’s needed most.

We work with 469 charities and 4,815 referrers.

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Thank you notes from our clients

“ I want to let you know how grateful I am for the new heating system that has been installed in my house. I was in a hopeless situation and could see no end to it.

I feel as if a huge weight has been lifted from me. My heartfelt thanks to everyone in the Health Through Warmth team.” Barbara

“ Thank you so much for all your assistance and hearing my cry for help. This has and will make a huge difference to my health.” Sonia

“ Thank you so very much for all your help, you’ve changed my life, my home is lovely and warm.” Antoinette

“ Thank you so much for helping me. I’m really enjoying and appreciate the warmth and comfort.” Shelia

“ Thank you very, very much. I can’t really explain just how much of a difference this has made to me. Mum will be able to stay here at Christmas time now that the house is warm and has hot water too.” Rose

“ My family and I want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the help and care you have shown us. We really are so happy and relieved, there have been many tears of joy. Thank you, thank you so much.” Laura and Family

” We are sitting at home tonight – nice and warm! We wanted to thank you and your team for the amazing support you have given us in installing our new boiler. It’s working a treat. It means so much. Thank you.” Kelly

“ Thank you to you and your team for all your help and kindness over the past few months. I shall never forget this.” Russell

“ I can’t get over how quick and efficient your service was in helping my brother have a full central heating system installed. What a big difference this has made to his mental and physical health conditions.

He now has a lovely warm home and can have a hot bath. He now has peace of mind and can’t thank you enough – you have made a big difference to his life.” Roger

“ I am writing to express my deepest thanks to you, your staff and everyone concerned in making sure that my son and I will not have to endure another winter like the last one, with no heating in the house and no hot water. A HUGE thank you to everyone.” Terry

“ Thank you very much for the help and assistance you gave me, which enabled me to get a new boiler. It is now up and running and working well just in time for winter.” Don

“ May we thank you most sincerely for the time and effort you have taken arranging for the installation of our new heating system. The difference this will make is unbelievable. On behalf of my wife and myself, thank you.” Graham

“ I just wanted to say a BIG thank you for all your help. We now have hot water and a heating system. Such a big difference in our lives and could not have been done without your help and support. I really cannot thank you enough.” Chantel

“ I just wanted to send you a note of thanks for all your help with getting our boiler fixed. It is not easy asking for help, but you were very kind and understanding and made me feel at ease.

Health Through Warmth is wonderful and without you and Macmillan (who gave me your details) we would have still been living in the freezing cold. We cannot thank or praise you highly enough for what you have done for us.” Carole

“ My heart goes out to the vulnerable people who have to suffer in the cold because I have felt what they feel. However, what you are doing and have done will never be forgotten by me and I am sure many others.

I am so grateful for this support as I could NOT afford to replace the boiler. You have enabled me to keep my health, my job and a roof over my head. Thank you so much.” Zeresh

“ A great big thank you for my heating, it has made a massive difference to our lives.” Wendy and John

“ We couldn’t be more thankful for how npower Health Through Warmth has helped us.”

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Call: 0800 912 7000

If you would like to know more about the npower Health Through Warmth scheme please feel free to contact us.

Email: healththroughwarmth @npower.com

Visit: healththroughwarmth.com

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Health Through Warmth

12 Health Through Warmth

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Registered in England and Wales Company Number 6052966