Trying to keep your home cosy and energy costs down can be quite a stressful experience, particularly if you are already struggling to pay the bills. But it doesn’t have to be.
Healthy Homes Ealing is a free service from Ealing Council that can offer help and advice, whatever the weather, to save energy and cut fuel bills.
Being able to keep your home at a comfortable temperature is important for your health.
Joyce Powell, 80, was referred to the service by her local GP, because she was struggling with her energy bills. Joyce suffers with arthritis, and keeping the heating on most of the time can make things a lot easier.
She said: “I was so glad when someone came to see me, at last someone was trying to help me and I was really grateful. It’s hard being on your own.”
Green doctors
Joyce was visited at home by a ‘green doctor’, which is someone who provides tailored advice and support and sometimes provides free energy efficiency measures, or items for staying warm or cool.
Joyce added: “I was given information about things I could do, they also gave me some energy efficient lightbulbs, and blankets. I received a foodbank voucher too, it was a big help.”
She now feels more confident in managing her energy bills and understands better how she can heat her home for less money.
Councillor Deirdre Costigan, Ealing Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for climate action, said: “Keeping warm is so important, and this service helps hundreds of residents every year. Making sure we are being as energy efficient as possible is a good money-saving measure, but also plays a big role in us doing our bit to tackle the climate emergency. The less energy we need to use to keep our homes warm, the better.”
Councillor Steve Donnelly, Ealing Council’s cabinet member for inclusive economy, added: “Fuel poverty is very serious, and thanks to the cost-of-living crisis, more and more Ealing residents are struggling to heat their homes. Healthy Homes Ealing exists to support residents to both stay warm and save money.”
Call Healthy Homes Ealing on 0800 083 2265 (free) Monday-Friday, 9am-5.30pm, or use the online referral form.
