Thirteen ‘energy crisis hotspots’ in Eastbourne

The new campaign launch event will be held at the E-Hive in the Beacon on Saturday (December 3) at 10.30am. A number of local organisations and campaign groups have been invited to join together to ensure no one goes cold this winter. ‘Eastbourne for Warm Homes’ aims to bring together communities concerned about the impacts of rising energy bills to advocate for affordable energy and demand the right to a warm home. Eastbourne for Warm Homes is calling for additional financial support to help those who need it most and to stop people going cold this winter.

According to Eastbourne Friends of the Earth (EFE), the average energy bill has almost doubled in the last year and it’s expected that around six million people will be in fuel poverty in the UK this winter. In Eastbourne alone, recent analysis found that there are 13 energy crisis hotspots – neighbourhoods where the energy crisis is most acutely felt.

Andrew Durling, joint coordinator at EFE, said energy crisis hotspots are defined by EFE as ‘neighbourhoods where energy use is high and typical household income is below the national average’. The 13 energy crisis hotspots in Eastbourne (the boundaries of which are defined by the Office of National Statistics) can be viewed here on a map, the majority of hotspots in the town are in Hampden Park and Old Town.

Financial support is only a short-term fix though. According to EFE, to put an end to the energy crisis we need solutions that will get to the root of the problem - heat-leaking homes and dependence on expensive and volatile gas.

In the long term, EFE wants there to be council-led, street-by-street insulation programmes rolled out. This would save money on energy bills. It also wants to move away from fossil fuels and towards clean renewable energy.

Mr Durling said: “We all deserve to live in warm homes that don’t cost the earth. But with energy bills nearly double what they were last year, and living costs such as food and rent spiralling, millions across the country are facing a bleak and miserable winter. No one in Eastbourne should have to go cold just to stay afloat. We recognise that there are so many of us locally who want happier, healthier communities. By coming together, we want to build a powerful local partnership that wins the fight for warm homes.

“We believe we can achieve this by demanding the solutions that are simply common sense. Insulating our heat-leaking homes and investing in cheap, clean renewables can both save households hundreds on their energy bills and lower costs for good. The great thing is that these solutions are also what’s needed to protect our planet and ensure that future generations have a world left to grow up in.”

An Eastbourne Borough Council (EBC) spokesperson said: “EBC has led on a number of initiatives to support people through the cost of living crisis, notably, the recent award of 19 grants for warm space schemes in the town. In addition to warm spaces, the grant programme sought applications from projects and groups focussed on food resilience, advice provision, including debt and welfare, tackling digital exclusion and support for schools.

"To date upwards of £130,000 has been awarded to local initiatives including specialist money and homelessness advice, new and existing community fridges and help for schools going above and beyond to help struggling families through activities including breakfast clubs and uniform banks. Eastbourne was the first authority in the UK to declare a cost of living emergency and we have been working closely with key voluntary and community sector organisations on a partnership campaign to increase benefits awareness and uptake.

"We’re also supporting the Keep Warm and Well campaign – www.warmeastsussex.org.uk. We introduced a council tax reduction scheme for households on low incomes and made discretionary housing payments to those who are eligible and potentially facing eviction. Our autumn edition of Tenants Open Voice was packed with information for tenants worried about how the cost of living crisis will impact them, including tips for energy saving, grants for households and support with food. December’s edition will incorporate a supplement on help and advice through the cost of living crisis.

"In September we hosted a household support fund uptake day for older people at the Town Hall. The event was extremely well attended and resulted in the allocated funds being awarded to pension-age residents. Officers are now working through applications for the third round of the household support fund as well as exploring other options to best support residents in need."

To find out more please visit www.unitedforwarmhomes.uk.

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