Hotspots help for vulnerable people
WINTER: Icy blast.
PLUMETTING temperatures have threatened vulnerable householders across the region – but help is at hand through a county wide scheme called Hotspots.
Hotspots is a referral scheme to protect residents in North Yorkshire from the cold this winter. It works by helping older and vulnerable people or those on a low income to access services which make a real difference in the cold weather.
Managed by Yorkshire Energy Partnership, the scheme is delivered in partnership with North Yorkshire County Council, The Pension Service, and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, which provides free benefits checks, fire safety checks and home energy checks for residents – often leading to grants for free wall and loft insulation and heating systems.
“There are thousands of residents in North Yorkshire who can benefit from this scheme,” said Denise Hall, of the Yorkshire Energy Partnership.
“ We recognise the vital role it plays in keeping people safe and warm in their homes, reducing fuel poverty and in turn, ill health. We intend to ensure that as many people benefit from the scheme as possible. ”
The Hotspots scheme provides support to people by increasing awareness of the risks of cold weather and fuel poverty to the community at large and frontline staff of organisations who have daily contact with, or visit people in their own homes can utilise the scheme to refer customers for help. Vulnerable householders will be referred for support and advice via a simple freepost ‘Hotspots’ referral card.
Hotspots is part of the ‘Warmer Together’ project, led by North Yorkshire County Council and partners, and funded by the Department of Health ‘Warm Homes, Healthy People’ fund 2012/13.
The following support and advice is available to householders via the scheme:
benefits entitlement checks
home safety check from the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service
energy efficiency advice
free loft and cavity wall insulation (subject to availability and survey)
assessment for eligibility for home improvement schemes
For more information or advice, please contact the Hotspots team on 01904 545020.
See next week’s Selby Times (January 23 edition) for cold weather round up.
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Weather for Goole
Monday 20 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 10 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 7 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North
