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The Coldline Project is an energy service which addresses inequalities in health with a specific emphasis on tackling cold related illnesses and hypothermia awareness for vulnerable groups who live in Hackney. The project addresses environmental, commercial and social factors that place certain people at risk from the cold.
The 24-hour Emergency Line operated throughout the winter in partnership with Hackney Council, ensuring that help was available night and day.
Coldline provided casework support to 469 clients during the year, helping to ensure that a total of 721 people in those households:
- could afford to pay for their fuel.
- repair & maintenance of their heating systems.
- supply on loan emergency heaters & cooking hotplates
- could cook a hot meal.
- had enough warm clothing, appropriate footwear and bedding.
Issues connected with age, health, disability and ethnic background/culture can mean that some people are in particular danger during the cold weather. During the year Coldline has:
- Raised £86,000 to help individuals in hardship.
- Increased annual income for service users by £72,000.
- Obtained 112 new fridges & washing machines through Community Care Grants.
- Obtained 99 warm bedding and clothing through Community Care Grants.
- Resolved 48 damp and 29 condensation problems for 77 households.
- Ensured that heating and hot water repairs were completed on 238 properties.
- Obtained 73 new cookers through Community Care Grant.
- Ensured that major and minor repairs were completed on 109 properties.
- Ensured 61 properties in Hackney had Gas Safety checks carried out.
- Provided 186 low energy light bulbs to vulnerable households.
- Loan 89 emergency heaters & hotplates.
- Ensured 44 smoke alarms were installed into Hackney properties.
- Assisted 49 households to get Warm Front Grants for central heating.
- Assisted 10 households to get London Borough Hackney Warmth & Security Grants.
- Identified 19 vulnerable households in the community who required assistance from Hackney Access Team.
Coldline continues to work with Energywatch the independent consumer watchdog which aims to provide services to all gas and electric consumers. The Coldline Project has referred cases on where policy and practice have not been followed particularly affecting vulnerable households.
- The Coldline Project continues to promote the Priority Service Register for older, disabled or chronically sick clients so that their specific needs can be met, by contacting their fuel supplier. 274 clients have benefited from this.
Due to the fuel price rises in domestic gas and electricity many vulnerable groups have found it increasingly difficult to manage and have accessed the Coldline Project for help in switching their energy suppliers or requesting help in ways in savings energy in the home. 406 households have benefited from energy advice. This has also included ways of reducing water bills and 28 households decided to have water meters installed.
Development Activities undertaken by Coldline Project.
Due to the dynamic nature of 'fuel poverty' it is essential that the underlining causes are tackled if the Coldline Project is to continue to promote better outcomes for older people in Hackney. Unfortunately higher fuel prices mean older people will experience difficulties paying energy bills. Age Concern Child Poverty Action Group and National Energy Action have raised concerns with Central Government and requested that additional funding be injected into the Fuel Poverty Strategy to assist the fuel poor and that the Winter Fuel Payment be raised this coming winter.
Coldline continues to promote Energy Efficiency in line with Central Government’s Fuel Poverty Strategy 2001. The aim is to eradicate fuel poverty in vulnerable households by 2010 and all households by 2016. The key benefits are:
- Reducing cold related illness as well as the risk of hypothermia. Treating cold & damp related illnesses cost the NHS £1 billion every year.
- Helps vulnerable groups to save money on their domestic fuel bills. Pensioners on low incomes spend at least 10% of their income on fuel and improving heating and insulation promotes “affordable warmth”.
- Helps to reduce Global Warming and contributes to a sustainable future for progressive generation.
- Helps to promote Decent Homes for those living in Hackney, as part of Central Government Strategy to improve social housing.
The Coldline Project has aligned itself to Team Hackney’s local priorities working in partnership with the Thriving, Healthy Communities. This is to promote physical, mental and social well being with a particular emphasis on vulnerable people.
Energy & Climate change Sustainable Energy Action (2003), is to make provision about the development and promotion of a sustainable energy policy in the UK one of the four key objectives to reduce the number of households in fuel poverty.
Links with NHS Homerton Hospital.
This winter over 192 people accessed The Coldline Project Energy Stalls as part of the Keeping Warm & Well campaign. 39 energy packs and 233 low energy light bulbs were distributed at the event.
Successful link has been made with Dianna Boyce the Service Manager Homerton Hospital Teams to ensure referrals are made too Coldline Project when older people are released from Hospital.
NHS Homerton Hospital Education Centre.
The Coldline Project attended a Carers Event on the 10th December 2007. 40 Coldline leaflets were distributed and those who attended were able to get free energy advice on ways of Keeping Warm & Well.
Department of Health Keep Warm & Well Campaign & Flu Programme 2006-2007.
The Coldline Project distributed 850 Coldline leaflets promoting the Keep Warm & Well message working in partnership with the Dept of Health. Fuel poverty increases pressure on the Health Service during the winter period. The Coldline Project campaign went to many different outlets throughout Hackney, including GPs, NHS staff, voluntary sector groups and statutory bodies to raise the profile and risk factors associated with the cold.
Age Concern Website.
The Coldline Project has a link which is updated twice a year (winter and summer theme). Self referrals can be made day or night to the Coldline Project. If you want to know more about ways of saving energy in the home or find out more about fuel poverty please consult the website.
Coldline Project priorities for 2008-09.
- Continue links with Homerton Hospital to promote the Keep Warm & Well Campaign.
- To promote Health & Social Care joint working with Age Concern Hackney.
- Gear up to meet Competitive Tender with Social Services with periodical meetings to discuss framework and time-scales.
- Outreach and development with Turkish, Somali and Asian communities.
- Keep abreast with Fuel Poverty Issues at local, regional and national level to support and benefit older people in Hackney.
- Develop Coldline database and website to meet future needs of older people.
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