About FILT Warm Homes

FILT Warm Homes aimed to equip and fund the home improvement agency (HIA) sector to provide targeted and focused support to clients facing fuel poverty – home visits, energy usage assessments and interventions to tackle cold homes and their effects on the health and wellbeing of older and vulnerable people.

Between mid-November 2012 and end March 2013 the programme achieved:

• 400 visiting staff (handypersons, caseworkers, technical officers) were equipped and prepared by bespoke one-day training, between November 2012 and January 2013
• The agencies completed 3,750 advice and information discussions with older and vulnerable people, across 160 local authority areas from Carlisle to Brighton
• 6,000 householders and families benefitted from personalised, relevant information and advice to make their home a warmer environment conducive to better health and wellbeing. Agencies also positively signposted and introduced individuals to partner organisations where the need was outside the scope of the HIA or handyperson provider
• Linked to these visits, 1,200 jobs were been done quickly and effectively for older and vulnerable people suffering cold homes. 

Outcomes

• 83% of people who had the advice and information sessions were aged over 60 and this age group were two-thirds (4,000 people) of all household members visited
• 61% had mobility issues and at least one third had their health made worse by cold in their home
• 19% wanted advice on possible benefits and there were more than 700 referrals for further advice, support or repair work
• A substantial minority of older people were either not using their heating or not heating their home adequately because of fear of being unable or actually being unable to pay fuel bills. More than one in ten said they would like to investigate options to switch fuel supplier and were signposted to an independent website. 

HIAs reached a range of vulnerable, ‘at-risk’ clients as defined by the Department of Health. Those who had work done by their HIA felt better informed, more in control, more confident, physically more comfortable and also more secure, safe and reassured.
Around 250 jobs were to repair or replace faulty or old boilers, reducing risk to these people of carbon monoxide poisoning as well as improving thermal comfort. Some repairs even helped clients feel less socially isolated, as previously they had felt embarrassed about having visitors to their home. Other work included fixing boilers, radiators and hot water, draught proofing and insulation, and much more.

Check out this video from Age UK Milton Keynes, who received funding as part of the Warm Homes Service.

Looking forward – what next?

In June we aim to publish results of the Sheffield Hallam University evaluation showing the impacts of the programme, and to launch a health engagement framework for the sector. Later in the summer, the final part of the Sheffield Hallam evaluation will cover in-depth outcomes on health, wellbeing and building the business case.

We will keep you up to date with all the progress through news alerts and on the Foundations website. In the meantime if you have any questions please contact Paul Woolley Paulw@foundations.uk.com