A two-year project to help vulnerable Blackburn with Darwen households cover fuel and boiler repair costs has supported more than 500 families so far.

Cadent Foundation awarded nearly £100,000 to Care Network so it could establish a means for residents on low incomes to afford to get their boilers serviced or repaired.

‘Happy and Healthy at Home’ also helps pay for improvements to make the homes more energy efficient and has provided emergency fuel vouchers for those in immediate crisis.

Jenny Moten is North West network director for gas network Cadent, which commits a percentage of its post-tax profits to the Cadent Foundation every year.

She said: “The projects funded by Cadent Foundation are more critical than ever, with the cost of living crisis leaving millions of people facing impossible choices every day.

“The positive impact of living in a warm, safe home cannot be underestimated and the funding from Cadent Foundation is targeted to where it is needed most, centred around tackling the root causes and impact of fuel poverty.”

James Hadleigh, Care Network’s chief executive, added: “This grant enabled us to fulfil our long-term aspiration of administering a discretionary pot of funding for vulnerable residents who cannot afford to undertake basic repairs in their home.

“We’ve been able to support 88 households to make essential repairs and improvements to keep their homes safe and warm, as well as supporting 447 households with emergency fuel vouchers.

“We can demonstrate the significant positive impact this has had on fuel poor residents and, as a result, we are in a much stronger position to approach local businesses and funders to provide this support on a longer-term basis.”

Other projects supported by Cadent Foundation in the region include the Trussell Trust food bank in Blackburn.

It is one of 17 food banks to gain specialist advice services, funded in part through a £1.5 million strategic partnership with Cadent Foundation.

Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said: “Ninety per cent of people coming to food banks are in debt and are not receiving all the government benefits they are entitled to.

“The funding from the Cadent Foundation is helping to provide practical, one-to-one support to navigate the complexities of the benefits system, as well as looking at managing debt.

“This is with the hope that through increasing income, people won’t need to use a food bank again in the future.”

Cadent Foundation has pledged to award a further £15 million over the next three years to charitable organisations working to tackle the root causes of fuel poverty across the most deprived communities.   

Julia Dwyer, director of the Cadent Foundation, said: “We’re incredibly proud of all the charities we’ve supported and have had the privilege of working with over the past few years.

“Now, as part of this commitment, we are delighted to be able to extend our support further by pledging an additional £15 million over the next three years to continue helping to alleviate the devastating impact of fuel poverty on UK households.”

The Cadent Foundation’s new Impact Report 2022, ‘working together for a future without fuel poverty’, details the grants awarded in 2022 and how the funding has improved the lives of so many communities throughout the UK.