Residents are ‘warm, safe, and well’ thanks to Revival

(Pictured: Team Leader Mark with Warm Home customer leaflets)

This winter Stoke-on-Trent residents received vital help with energy bills thanks to funding issued to local Revival.

We launched our Warm Homes Project in December last year offering help and support to vulnerable people whose health could be at risk because of rising utility prices.

Helping 114 older people, those with health conditions, or recovering from a hospital stay who are particularly vulnerable to the cold.

At the time the project launched, the ONS reported that gas prices had risen by 129% and Age UK reported that 9.4m older people were worried about the rising costs of living.

Since its launch, the project has helped customers like Dee, a woman in her 50s living at home with physical and mental health issues who was struggling to put her heating on.

Support Worker Esme visited her at home to see how she could help.

“When I first visited, it was cold and frosty outside. Dee had no heating on and instead was sat there in her coat with a duvet wrapped around her”, said Esme.

“It was clear she was struggling with rising costs, and it was having a negative impact on her health.”

Dee told Esme that she'd lost her bank card and had her benefits revoked because she was unable to leave the house to attend an appointment.

“I immediately topped her meter up with £20 from Revival’s emergency fund and got in touch with her bank. They resolved the access issue and agreed to give her a one-off £100 emergency grant.

“I contacted her utility provider, and they credited her with £50 as an emergency loan.

“I rearranged a home appointment for Universal Credit, and they later reinstated her benefits.

“Thanks to the service Dee is now warm, safe, and well at home and has access to a regular income."

Head of Support and Wellbeing Julie says she’s really pleased the project has helped customers like Dee.

“Since the project launched, we’ve been able to support over a hundred customers in a similar situation to Dee”, said Julie.

“It’s clear the rising cost of energy is having a huge impact. We’re seeing more local people who can’t afford to put their heating on. To them, this project has been a vital lifeline."