With an icy blast forecast a local warmth scheme is encouraging residents in Birmingham with cold or damp related illnesses to think ahead and ensure their homes are prepared for the winter before the cold weather returns.
Birmingham snow
npower Health Through Warmth, which is managed locally by the Black Country Housing Group in partnership with Birmingham City Council, aims to help people whose health is made worse by cold and damp living conditions as a result of inadequate heating and insulation in their homes.
Illnesses that can be adversely affected by cold, damp living conditions include respiratory and cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, arthritis, terminal illness, mental health issues and mobility difficulties. npower’s Health Through Warmth scheme may be able to assist with installation of cavity wall and loft insulation, boiler repair or replacement, heating systems and appliances, as well as providing relevant advice and information.
Health Through Warmth launched in Birmingham in 2000, and to date more than 9,300 local vulnerable residents have been referred to the scheme for help with heating and insulation measures. £12.3million has been levered to secure funding for the measures required, which includes more than £146,000 from charitable organisations. In addition nearly £876,000 has been accessed from the unique RWE npower Health Through Warmth Crisis Fund.
Elaine Midwinter, npower Health Through Warmth scheme manager, comments: “Now is a good time for residents to check that their heating is in good working order.
“Residents can ensure they are prepared when the temperature drops, giving them peace of mind that they can stay warm and comfortable in their homes during the cold winter months.”
The npower Health Through Warmth scheme was set up in 2000 in partnership with the NHS and National Energy Action (NEA), the national fuel poverty charity, and operates in 15 areas of England and Wales to help people whose health is adversely affected by cold, damp living conditions.
For more information on the npower Health Through Warmth scheme in Birmingham visit www.healththroughwarmth.com.