The Wise Group’s HEAT (Home Energy Advice Team) colleagues provide a powerful and impactful support service to our customers across Scotland, alleviating energy related stress and financial burden on households each and every day.
Our energy advisors support customers with free and impartial advice which can help to; lower energy bills (getting the most suitable deal on electricity and gas), better understand energy bills and meter readings, and encourage more efficient energy use within the home. They can also get in touch with energy suppliers on behalf of customers to resolve any issues they may face.
Today, we are excited to reveal that this work has led us to being shortlisted in the Third Sector’s Business Charity Awards 2020. The Business Charity Awards recognise the outstanding contribution made by UK business to good causes, and we have been named in their Partnerships – Utilises & Services category.
We have been working in partnership with ScottishPower for over ten years to facilitate our HEAT service, with the energy provider funding this work through the ‘Industry Initiative’ element of the Warm Home Discount programme. Our HEAT colleagues provide an inclusive service to households that are either in fuel fear, fuel poverty or residing within an identify SIMD area. Initially, HEAT was delivered within communities and households across Glasgow (G-HEAT) and Inverclyde (I-HEAT), however, in recognition of the continued need to tackle fuel poverty and the impact this model is able to deliver, HEAT has now been extended to include the neighbouring geographical areas.
This dedicated in-home service* offers hand-holding assistance to resolve any energy related issue and equips the household with the tools to manage their energy confidently.
The Wise Group’s Jim Percival, Project Lead for Energy Advice and Advocacy, said –
“We are incredibly proud of the partnership with Scottish Power, and the ways in which it has grown and developed through the years. Through this partnership, we have created an open and trusted relationship that ensures we carry out joint governance and development for our support to maximise the impact of the HEAT Customer engagement.
From this, we are able to effectively ensure that the most vulnerable households have access to expert energy advocacy support.
The HEAT service goes hand in hand with the Wise Group’s purpose, to help lift people out of poverty, and we are delighted to have been recognised for this work.”
To find out more about our HEAT delivery, click here or call 0800 092 9002.
*The Wise Group are adapting the way we work in response to coronavirus (COVID-19). We have therefore paused all face-to-face contact across all projects in Scotland and the North East of England, instead delivering a high quality service using alternative channels.
We continue to provide our vital HEAT service for people struggling to stay warm at home, or those worry about their energy bills and usage. All HEAT calls will be completed via telephone calls until further notice.
