Energy network partners with leading bereavement charities to help people in fuel poverty

Energy network SGN has launched new partnerships with charities Cruse Bereavement Support and Sue Ryder to help bereaved people and people who are grieving or approaching the end of their life to maintain a safe and warm home.

We’re providing information and support at Cruse to people experiencing a bereavement and pre-bereavement, with help to alleviate fuel poverty. We will help to ensure they can use energy safely, efficiently and affordably by introducing a dedicated energy project team to provide training and support to the wider Cruse team. The energy project team will provide this support through the charity’s helpline, community-based groups and local events, as well as reaching 68,000 people online.

As part of our partnership with Sue Ryder:
We’re training six Sue Ryder colleagues to achieve the City & Guilds Level 2 Award in Fuel Debt Advice in the Community, helping them to better understand the causes of fuel debt and the issues faced by households in fuel poverty.
A further 200 Sue Ryder staff and volunteers will receive training to help them identify patients and families in fuel crisis and where to signpost households for onward support.
The team at Sue Ryder is providing one-to-one energy safeguarding advice to more than 5,000 people who are facing death or living with grief, helping them to use energy safely, affordably and efficiently at home. They’ll be delivering support through their palliative care services, Grief Kind Spaces and shops.

Together, we aim to raise awareness of key energy safeguarding services, including the Priority Services Register and carbon monoxide safety, and the support available to people living in fuel poverty among Cruse and Sue Ryder service users, staff, volunteers and customers.

Lucy Harmer, Chief Executive at Cruse Bereavement Support, said: “At Cruse, we are very proud to be working with SGN to provide important information and support to people who are grieving. Practical issues such as fuel poverty affect many people after the death of a loved one and often people are not aware of the help that is available to them. This project will help more people who are grieving to focus on their grief and remembering their loved one rather than worrying about bills.”

James Sanderson, Chief Executive at Sue Ryder, said: “We believe everyone deserves to feel safe and warm during life’s most difficult moments. This partnership with SGN will provide essential advice and information to help those living with grief or a terminal illness maintain a safe and warm home. Our dedicated staff and volunteers at our retail shops, Sue Ryder Nurses and staff in our Wellbeing and Community Support Services are being trained to recognise energy hardship signs and offer practical advice on reducing bills and managing debt.”

Janet Duggan, Community Partnership Manager at SGN, said: “We’re committed to keeping our communities safe and warm and we know people living with health conditions or grieving for loved ones are uniquely impacted by higher than average energy costs. Many face financial hardship as a result of their illness and when a loved one dies, it can lead to a reduction in household income, often completely removing an earned salary from a household. This impact, which is often sudden, can worsen existing financial difficulties and increase the risk of falling into fuel poverty. By working with Cruse Bereavement Support and Sue Ryder, we’re able to reach those who are really struggling and provide much needed energy advice.”