Village of Bulmer in Essex

New countywide advice service for people struggling with their energy bills.

A new pan-county service (covering Essex, Southend and Thurrock) has recently ben launched by the Citizens Advice Essex consortium.

 0808 189 6550

 Funded by UK Power Networks and provided by the Citizens Advice Essex consortium, the service provides practical advice and support for those experiencing fuel poverty. Many of your service users or beneficiaries will be in fuel poverty - to learn how to identify better who, look out for details of some forthcoming webinars we will be sending out in the next few days. For now, all you need to know is that people on low incomes, using prepayment meters, in energy debt or simply struggling to pay their energy bills will be very likely to be in fuel poverty - the consequence of a range of factors, including the unprecedented increases in energy bills occurring over the last few years.

 The new service is designed to begin conversations with our clients and initiate the provision of holistic support, that will improve their situation. For example, by identifying and helping secure additional sources of income, ensuring they understand and can access opportunities to improve the energy efficiency of their home, by providing support with regards to energy-related or other debts and by providing practical and actionable advice on how to reduce energy consumption.

 The new service also complements our other locally-based services, such as specialist housing advice, specialist services for people affected by cancer (funded by Macmillan) or local sources of emergency support.