Home-Start UK are happy to announce a new partnership with gas distribution network SGN to address fuel poverty among young families, providing vital utility support services across 37 local Home-Starts within SGN’s network. SGN will provide £1.4 million worth of funding to help Home-Start alleviate the financial strain of energy costs, offer practical assistance, and build long-term resilience in local communities.

Home-Starts across the country have seen a dramatic increase in both demand for their services, and an increase in the severity of challenges facing the families they work with. Last year Home-Starts across the UK supported a record 58,850 families an increase in 34% in the past year.

To mark the launch of this partnership, representatives from SGN and Home-Start UK recently visited a local group at Home-Start Banbury, Bicester and Chipping Norton, meeting with families, staff, and volunteers where they heard from parents about the difference Home-Start makes to their community and spoke with coordinators and volunteers about new training and resources aimed at keeping families safe and warm this winter.

Commenting on her visit SGN’s Community Partnerships Manager Janet Duggan said “It was great to be able to meet families and staff from Banbury Home-Start to officially launch our new partnership across southern England, from Dorset to Kent.  Many families are still facing hardship through the cost of living crisis and living in cold and unsafe homes.  We hope our partnership will go some way to help people with young children to stay safe and warm in their own homes.”

Home-Start Banbury’s Manager Louise Sansom said “This funding will enable us to provide essential support to help families stay warm this winter. This will provide relief to those families facing real challenges and help us to support their needs. It also allows us to raise awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) and let people know the benefits of joining the Priority Services Register.”

The cost-of-living and rising prices are having a huge impact on parents. In a recent survey carried out by YouGov on behalf of Home-Start revealed 48% of parents cited the high cost of living as a significant factor contributing to their feelings of loneliness or isolation with those on lower incomes more likely to say they always or often feel lonely, compared to those on higher incomes. (24% in C2DE v 15% in ABC1).

Home-Start has seen the number of families experiencing debt or finance challenges increase by 20% in the past year, and by 52% since 2020-21. Since 2020-21 Home-Starts have supported over 20,000 families with debt and finance challenges.

This new partnership will help enable local Home-Starts to provide essential safety support, training and upskilling workshops to help families facing fuel poverty stay safe and warm. SGN’s resources and expertise will create a positive impact by reducing financial stress and supporting energy efficiency.

Home-Start’s Deputy Chief Executive, Vivien Waterfield CBE, said “This new partnership with SGN couldn't be coming at a better time.Feedback from our volunteers is that they’re visiting a growing number of families struggling to make ends meet, with parents making impossible choices this winter between eating and heating.  Partnerships like this are crucial because they allow us to provide much needed immediate assistance and a vital safety net to families facing fuel poverty.”