Vulnerability partners reflect on winter challenges as part of SGN collaboration event

Around 150 vulnerability specialists from 130 organisations have joined energy network business SGN, who has an office in Epsom, at a conference to explore how to make homes across the UK warmer, safer and healthier.

Our Winter’s End Safe and Warm Partnership Conference 2025 in London brought together experts from organisations such as Age Scotland, Citizens Advice, Energy Systems Catapult, Fuel Bank Foundation, National Energy Action and Scope, who are all part of our Safe & Warm partnership network supporting vulnerable people in the communities we serve.

Experts from the energy, advice, government and charity sectors took part in panel sessions and open discussions to share the real world impact of financial cuts on the communities they’re helping and the daily challenges faced by individuals to keep their homes safe and warm, particularly during the colder months.

It was a crucial opportunity for delegates to reflect on the challenges experienced during the winter and share their insight, as well as collaborate on ways to work together in future to support vulnerable communities across SGN’s network areas in southern England and Scotland. Together, we have so far supported 693,956 households and we expect this number to rise significantly over the coming months.

Held as a hybrid event, the conference had live interviews from key specialists streamed to the online audience, providing an opportunity for all partners to meet and discuss opportunities to collaborate with one another. We’ll be using discussions from the event to inform how we can evolve our partnership network and find new opportunities to plug gaps in support.

A key theme which emerged from the conference was the impact that cuts to benefits are having on the vulnerable people who our attendees are helping every day. Also, the value which our partner organisations create in supporting people who need extra help.

The conference opened with a keynote speech from National Energy Action Chief Executive Adam Scorer, who spoke about the need for local energy plans to be aligned with health plans in communities. He highlighted the long-term commitment of partners to our Safe & Warm network that enables organisations to provide enduring support.

Some of the key highlights from attendees included:

Molly Shevlin from Citizens Advice Scotland said they’re seeing people with issues that are complex and multilayered, requiring dedicated support from multiple organisations.

Rachel Boland from Age UK Oxfordshire highlighted a new challenge they’ve seen this winter of pensioners experiencing longer wait times for an outcome on pension credit applications.

Lee Healey from IncomeMax said that although digital exclusion can be a barrier to some vulnerable people obtaining the support and benefits they’re entitled to, many people are keen to use digital solutions to boost their income.

Helen Stockton from National Energy Action highlighted how net zero solutions need to be designed with vulnerable people in mind, with Bridget Newbery from Centre for Sustainable Energy adding that conversations around net zero need to be with people and not to people, and need to be meaningful to people’s everyday lives in order to engage them. She also discussed the need to check people who receive new technologies know how to use them.

Stella Osan from Mencap Croydon spoke out about the rising issue of damp in vulnerable homes, with stories she’s heard of landlords painting over dangerous black mould instead of working with tenants to tackle the problem. Richard DeNiese of Mencap Worthing added that it can often lead to people with autism struggling to make the right short-term decisions of keeping windows open to help remove the mould or to keep them closed in order to keep in the heat.

Maureen McIntosh, Director of Customer Service at SGN, explained how hosting the conference is part of SGN’s work to bring partners together to support vulnerable customers to use energy safely, efficiently and affordably.

She said: “We really appreciate how many people took the time to attend and take part in our Winter’s End partners conference. It highlights the importance of working together as we face the challenges that winter brings to communities across the UK. We’re truly humbled by the passion our collaborative partners have in ensuring we give everyone the ability to stay safe and warm all year round. Our ambition is always that we never have to walk away from a customer in need. We want to create a legacy of people staying informed and supported and together with our partners, we can break down the stigma of accessing benefits and support.”