Welsh Government boosts support for fuel vouchers and heat
fund with additional £700,000 to help vulnerable households this
winter.
Households across Wales facing tough times and who have to
pre-pay for their energy can access further help this winter, as
the Welsh Government announces an additional £700,000 in funding
for the Fuel Bank Foundation's fuel voucher and Heat Fund scheme.
This extra investment builds on a long-standing commitment to
protect people facing fuel poverty, particularly those relying on
pre-payment meters or lacking mains gas access.
This year, the Welsh Government has provided a total of £1.2m to
support an estimated 8,400 households, or approximately 29,000
individuals, with crisis fuel vouchers, delivering up to 10 days
of essential energy assistance. Around 200 off- gas-grid
households will receive help with bulk fuel purchase through the
Heat Fund, and thanks to this extra funding. The funding will
allow a further 700 people living in poverty to receive an
electric throw to get through the winter.
Announcing the new funding at a Wrexham Foodbank today, the
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, ,said: “Everyone deserves
a warm home, and I'm proud to expand this vital support to help
those who have to pre-pay for their energy and are facing
disconnection. By increasing funding for the Fuel Bank
Foundation, we're making sure that more people won't have to face
the impossible choice between staying warm and meeting other
basic needs.
“We understand the pressures that high energy costs create, and
we're committed to easing that burden so people can focus on
their well-being and stability.”
This recent funding builds on £5.1million previously allocated to
the Fuel Bank Foundation since 2022, which has distributed over
62,000 fuel vouchers and made over 360 bulk fuel deliveries to
off-grid households.
The funding has enabled the Fuel Bank Foundation to expand its
referral partners from 6 to over 142 organisations across Wales.
This broad network ensures that help is available locally to
households in need across Wales.
Households that have received support through the Fuel Bank
Foundation speak of the positive difference it has made. Recent
data received from the Fuel Bank Foundation notes that of the
households last surveyed, 91% noted a substantial impact on their
financial stability, and 60% of families supported talked about a
significant improvement in both physical health and mental
wellbeing.
Chief Executive of Fuel Bank Foundation, Matthew
Cole, said: "Fuel poverty is a blight on society,
causing physical and emotional misery to thousands of people
across Wales, many of whom are either vulnerable or on low
income. Their financial situation is desperate and without
support they face living in cold, dark, damp and dangerous
homes.
"This is why the funding from the Welsh Government is
so important. It has already enabled us to provide
emergency fuel vouchers and bulk fuel deliveries to thousands of
homes, with thousands more now set to benefit.
Network lead for Wales at Trussell, Jo Harry,
said: “The sheer number of people facing hunger and hardship
across Wales is heartbreaking. Too many people are faced with
impossible decisions like heating their home or buying other
essentials like food. We welcome the Cabinet Secretary's visit to
Wrexham Foodbank today where she heard about the experiences of
people who have needed to turn to the food bank for support.
“Fuel vouchers and emergency food parcels provide a lifeline to
people who cannot afford essential costs, like energy and food,
but we know this isn't a long-term solution. People are being
forced to turn to food banks in Wales because incomes from work,
and social security payments, do not cover the cost of the
essentials, such as food, bills, and toiletries.
“We hope to work with the Welsh Government to reduce the need for
emergency support by focusing on reducing the number of people
trapped in the deepest forms of poverty.”
To find out if you're eligible for support under the Fuel Bank
Scheme and how to apply, get in touch with any of their partners
which are placed in every local authority area in Wales Fuel Bank Foundation
partners.
