Citizens Advice Essex to lead delivery of network response across the East through funding from ambitious new Fuel Poverty Partnership

Citizens Advice Essex is proud to confirm its role as one of several lead partners in a major new initiative funded by UK Power Networks to support up to half a million people across London, the East and South East of England. Alongside Citizens Advice Arun and Chichester, a number of the existing and well-established Greater Essex consortium of local offices and a number of offices from the wider eastern region will work in partnership alongside national organisations such as the National Energy Foundation and We Are Group. Together, these partners will deliver a bold and wide-reaching programme to tackle fuel poverty, helping households manage their energy use, maximise income, and build long-term resilience in the face of continued energy price volatility.

Working through its unique consortium model, Citizens Advice Essex – the lead body for Essex-based local offices – will coordinate the delivery of comprehensive energy advice and in-depth support across the East of England. This will augment and complement existing local Citizens Advice services, providing new capacity and resources to meet the growing need for support among households affected by fuel poverty.

By extending the current delivery model used by several Essex-based offices and partnering with local Citizens Advice services across Hertfordshire, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Peterborough, the new programme will ensure that residents across a much wider region are able to access support. Citizens Advice Essex’s participation builds on its long-standing experience of delivering energy and fuel poverty alleviation support at scale and is expected to contribute significantly to the more than 500,000 people set to benefit over the five-year life of the programme.

As part of the project, Citizens Advice Essex and its delivery partners will offer clients personalised energy advice, support with smart meters, guidance on tariffs and time-of-use benefits, help accessing emergency funds and grants, and practical advice on improving energy efficiency at home. The service will be accessible via a single telephone number, a dedicated project website, and a centralised telephony platform.

In addition to intensive, in-depth advice, the programme includes general advice and the launch of an innovative Champions Programme, designed to extend reach and build energy awareness at the community level over the coming years.

Martin Lord, Consortium Director at Citizens Advice Essex, said:

“This is a bold and vital investment by UK Power Networks – and we are proud to be at the forefront of its delivery in East England. Our consortium brings together deep local knowledge in Essex and extends this through trusted delivery partners across the wider region. With strong regional leadership, rigorous contract management, and a proven track record in tackling fuel poverty, we’re confident that over the next five years, we’ll help thousands more households stay warm, boost their income, and take control of their energy use – all while strengthening the frontline services that communities rely on.”

“We’re especially excited to launch our Champions Programme, which will engage 400 frontline workers each year to act as energy ambassadors in their communities. At a time when fuel poverty continues to affect so many, this partnership will help us make a real, measurable difference to people’s lives.”

Jo Lomax, Consumer Vulnerability Manager at UK Power Networks said:

“UK Power Networks is proud to be leading this important initiative, which will make a real difference to the lives of our customers across London, the South East and East of England.

By partnering with Citizens Advice Essex and other local organisations, we are taking a proactive role in tackling fuel poverty and making sure we leave no one behind on our journey to Net Zero.

This programme will provide essential support, empower communities and strengthen resilience, ensuring that more people can stay warm, save money and take control of their energy use."

The project, which is currently in a trial and mobilisation phase and will officially begin delivery in April. It will be supported by Citizens Advice’s national quality assurance framework and customers satisfaction monitoring led by UK Power Networks to ensure consistent, high-quality outcomes across all delivery areas