The Warm Homes Network, a partnership between gas networks, charities, local government and technology companies, began a pilot in Cumbria in November 2023, following a Cadent pilot that started in Birmingham in August1. The initiative is intended to join up support for households struggling with the cost of living, with the stated aim of a national roll out in 20241.
The Cumbria pilot will support up to 100 customers living in the most vulnerable situations1. Customers are referred from local authorities and local organisations into a single point of contact that acts as a triage service, assessing need before referring people on to organisations delivering specialised services1. Delivery partners cover a personalised range of services including guidance on energy efficiency and low carbon technology measures advice and installation, benefit entitlement and debt advice1.
The network expects to save households an average of £3,000 each, and estimates that through the Birmingham pilot alone consumers will see benefits of more than £580k combined1. It is funded through a combined pot of regulated funding, the Vulnerability and Carbon Monoxide Allowance (VCMA), and non-regulated philanthropic funding1.
"We are looking to combine funding pots, best practice and delivery mechanisms to develop a "one-stop-shop" that delivers a complete range of support for customers experiencing financial vulnerability."
Strategic partners for the Cumbria pilot include Northern Gas Networks, Cadent Gas and Sia Partners1. Delivery partners include Cumberland Council, RABI, YES Energy Solutions, United Utilities, Cold to Cosy Homes (CAfS), Citizens Advice, Carlisle and Eden, and Pennysmart CIC1. Support partners have included Churches Together Cumbria, Cumbria CVS, ACTion with Communities in Cumbria, and Age UK, Carlisle and Eden1.
| Pilot | Start | Households supported |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham (Cadent) | August 2023 | Not reported |
| Cumbria | November 2023 | Up to 100 |
Why it matters for households
The pilot is a referral route rather than a grant or tariff. A household in Cumbria reaches it through a local authority or local organisation, not by applying directly, and the support offered is advice and installation of energy efficiency and low carbon technology measures, plus benefit entitlement and debt advice1. For a home's energy independence, that combination matters because measures that cut how much energy a property needs reduce exposure to future price rises, while benefit and debt advice addresses the bill side of the same problem.
The stated average saving of £3,000 per household is an expectation, not a guarantee, and the source does not set out how it is calculated or over what period1. The Birmingham figure of more than £580k is described as combined consumer benefits rather than cash savings1. The source does not report eligibility criteria, how households are selected, or what happens to those not among the 100 places1. Households outside the two pilot areas are not covered by the scheme as described; the source says only that wider expansion is planned for 20241. General information on grants and schemes sits separately from this pilot.
What happens next
The stated focus is on ensuring households across Cumbria and Birmingham can access the full range of support offered through the pilots in autumn and winter 20231. Longer term, the two pilots are to provide learning intended to help the network expand its support to more communities in 20241. No date for a national roll out beyond the year 2024 has been reported1.
Sources1 cited
- Warm Home Networks | Northern Gas Networks, northerngasnetworks.co.uk