Addressing Poverty and the Fuel Crisis in the UK: New Partnership
Date: 31/03/2022
The National Energy Agency estimates that over 4 million UK households are affected by fuel poverty.
The NextEnergy Foundation (“NEF”) is supporting Depher to address rising levels of poverty, particularly fuel-related poverty, across the UK. Depher CIC is UK-based social enterprise which provides free or heavily subsidised emergency plumbing and heating services to vulnerable older and disabled people. Depher stands for Disability and Elderly Plumbing and Heating Emergency Repair.
Depher was established in 2017 by James Anderson, a plumber who became increasingly concerned with how many vulnerable people were unable to access affordable and vital emergency works in their homes. Since 2017, Depher has supported over 17,000 people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it also branched out to help to distribute personal protective equipment and set up a foodbank for James’s community.
Together, NEF and Depher are providing gas and electric support, as well as support in the form of food vouchers and school supplies, to low-income and single-parent families.