The focus of Western Power Distribution’s (WPD) Affordable Energy Fund in 2021/22 is on supporting communities recover from COVID-19 by funding innovative local affordable warmth and/or Priority Service Register (PSR) services.
The Priority Services Register is a free support service to help people in vulnerable situations. Energy suppliers and network operators offer it, with each supplier keeping their own register. Energy users need to contact their energy supplier or network operator to get on to the register.
WPD is particularly keen to receive applications for projects that are tackling digitally excluded households, as well as projects that are helping vulnerable groups to understand and benefit from the transition to a smarter energy system.
To be eligible, applicants must be currently delivering one or more of the following 4 energy advice and outreach activities – or be able to demonstrate that they have delivered them within the previous 18 months:
1. Provide an existing energy advice service over the phone.
2. Provide home visits for complex cases.
3. Run events, drop-ins and workshops on domestic energy management and tariff switching, and/or
4. Work as part of an existing referral network with other organisations on a receiving and referring to basis.
Grants can be used to:
o Help PSR eligible households to lower and manage their bills.
o Identify and assist vulnerable or low-income households who are digitally excluded and support them to enable them to benefit from more services and take control of their bills, along with other financial, practical and social benefits.
o Identify new registrants for the Priority Service Register (PSR) and offer support to households already registered.
o Provide advice and support to enable vulnerable households to carry out home energy efficiency improvements to make their homes smarter and more energy efficient.
o Target home energy advice and support to householders in areas of higher deprivation and in areas not connected to the gas network, potentially using WPD’s vulnerability app, and/or
o Work with healthcare providers to raise awareness of the links between cold, damp homes and poor physical and mental health.
Further information, guidance and an application form is available on the Western Power Distribution website.
Applicants must be free to attend a networking and skills sharing Zoom event on Wednesday 3 November 2021.
The application deadline is midnight on Sunday 26 September 2021.
