Age UK and E.ON to Make Winter Warmer for Older People
News release
16th October 2013
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A £750,000 grant from E.ON will enable Age UK Lincoln to provide funding to help older people keep warm this winter by offering free benefits advice and energy efficiency checks.
The cash injection from the energy company will fund checks to help vulnerable older people maximise income, reduce energy consumption and spend less on energy bills during the most difficult months.
Older people in Lincoln can benefit from a free energy efficiency check through Age UK Lincoln’s handyperson service. The charity will assess the energy efficiency of a person’s home, give top tips on how to save energy and, where appropriate, install simple and practical energy efficiency measures such as draught proofing in a bid to reduce energy bills.
Older people in Lincoln can also take advantage of free benefit advice checks with qualified advisors who will assess eligibility of benefits and provide support to claim what they are entitled to. Advice is free, impartial and confidential and Age UK Lincoln can refer additional services and support if needed.
Last winter E.ON’s grants helped older people across the UK in a number of ways:
• 4,852 people benefited from £12m of welfare benefits as a result of benefit entitlement check sessions (an average of £2,512 in extra benefits per person per year)
• 2,380 households benefitted from energy efficiency installations, increasing the comfort levels for 3,423 older people
• Nearly £100,000 in fuel bill savings were made through installations of over 17,000 energy efficiency measures
Jack Thompson, Technical Services Co-ordinator at Age UK Lincoln, said: “The grants from E.ON have already helped thousands of vulnerable older people to address two of the biggest issues that impact on older people’s ability to stay warm and well in winter: the cost of living and heating homes efficiently.
“With 721,000 households aged 60-plus in fuel poverty in England and up to £5.5 billion of means-tested benefits going unclaimed by people in later life every year, these issues are top of our agenda.”
Sarah Walker, Warm Home Discount Manager at E.ON, said: “Increasing household warmth and income can make a huge difference to vulnerable people and the free benefits advice and energy efficiency checks on offer are a simple way in which we can help.
“We’re very pleased to be supporting Age UK again with this national scheme and we urge anyone that thinks they might need a check to contact their local branch.”
To find out more about how you could benefit from free energy efficiency and benefits advice check and save money on your energy bills, contact Age UK Lincoln on 01522 696000.
Notes to editors:
• Age UK Lincoln is an independent charity which is part of the national Age UK network. Registered charity number 1078539.
• This year Age UK Lincoln celebrated its 55th anniversary in June 2013.
• Age UK Lincoln’s aim is to enable people to lead full and active lives and stay safe and independent within their homes.
• The activity centre on Park Street, Lincoln is free to attend for people over 50 and doesn’t require membership. It offers activities such as language or art classes, dancing, computer skills, friendship clubs and more.
• The activity centre is currently being modernised and head office staff will be relocated from Sixfield Close to a new £700,000 extension at the centre. Age UK Lincoln is busy raising funds to pay for parts of the redevelopment, such as a new roof and a new boiler.
• The activity centre also offers free information and advice on issues such as finance, benefits, housing options and personal budgets.
• More information can be found at www.ageuk.org.uk/lincoln/
• E.ON has worked with Age UK since 1990 to help improve the lives of people in later life. Age UK Enterprises, the commercial arm of the charity, provides a tailored energy product for those in later life developed with E.ON. Designed to meet the needs of those in later life, the Age UK Energy fixed rate tariff has no exit charges and offers visibility and peace of mind on what is to be paid for a substantial period of time.
Jez Ashberry
Shooting Star PR
01522 528540
jez@shootingstar-pr.co.uk
www.shootingstar-pr.co.uk
t: @jezashberry
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