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We are proud to be supporting the Energy Hardship Fund brought together by the Housing Associations’ Charitable Trust (HACT) to help customers who are struggling with the cost of their energy bills this winter. The campaign aims to raise £1million to redistribute as fuel vouchers to residents who experience fuel poverty. 

The Energy Hardship Fund is an opportunity to come together as a sector, and to make a statement that energy hardship is a reality many communities already face. This is vital, in face of the risk of more residents falling into fuel poverty, a result of the rising energy prices and cuts to universal credit.   

Social housing organisations across the UK have committed donations and support to the Energy Hardship Fund including Golding Homes. 

Terry Spillard, Assistant Director of Customers, Golding Homes said:  

“We know that the increases in energy prices and the changes to universal credit are making it increasingly hard for many of our customers to afford to heat their homes.  It can also lead to difficult choices between heating your home and other essential costs, like paying your rent.  The effects of Covid-19 are still being felt and it’s a challenging time for many, so being able to support our customers this winter with energy vouchers is more important than ever.  We are really proud to support this fantastic initiative with HACT.”    

The Energy Hardship Fund  fundraising campaign  launched on Wednesday 20 October 2021. They are seeking corporate donations to the fund from social housing providers, partners and friends of the social housing sector, contact  energy.hardship@hact.org.uk  to support this campaign. 

Andrew van Doorn, Chief Executive, HACT, said:   

“Last year, in response to the pandemic, HACT raised and distributed £1 million in energy vouchers to over 16,000 resident households across the UK, through a network of over 160 housing associations. This year, the need for energy vouchers is even higher. So, we have launched the Energy Hardship Fund. Our aim is to fundraise for another £1 million that we can distribute through our existing networks to social housing residents across the UK. If we can achieve this, we can demonstrate the power of the sector when it acts together.”