Page 8 - Gi_September2019

industry & Government news

NORTHERN GAS NETWORKS RUNNING

‘HEATING FOR HEALTH’ TRIAL

were installed by partner organisation
Yorkshire Energy Solutions, with
funding from the Warm Home Discount
Industry Initiatives scheme.
NEA advice workers also provided
support to householders on how to use
their new heating systems and take
other steps to reduce their energy bills.
The impact will be monitored over
the next 12 months - to see if health and
wellbeing improve.
Jill Walker, NGN Social Strategy
Project Manager, said: “Families
living in cold homes, with no central
heating, can face a wide range of
mental and physical challenges. As a
gas distributor, we are given funding
to install free gas connections to
certain homes, as a way of tackling
fuel poverty.
“Unfortunately, the current criteria
for providing these free connections
does not take account of the health
status of households – so this project
intends to fill this crucial evidence gap.
“As well as improving quality of life,
the knock-on savings to the NHS could
be enormous.”
Many of the residents in the trial relied
on coal or wood fires to stay warm.
Dr Jamie-Leigh Ruse, Senior Research
and Policy Officer at National Energy
THE SCHEME AIMS TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF Action said: “Around four million UK
LIFE FOR VULNERABLE PEOPLE households are currently living in fuel
poverty. This is an incredibly important
NORTHERN GAS NETWORKS (NGN) Before the trial, the majority trial, which could help to change the
and National Energy Action (NEA) are of participating homes were not way we allocate funding to households
running a year-long trial to find out connected to the gas grid, and none struggling with no central heating.
if warmer homes can improve health had gas central heating installed, “We will be working with Northern
and wellbeing. according to Network. Gas Networks to monitor the impact
More than 100 households in County Northern Gas Networks installed of the trial over the next 12 months,
Durham and Sunderland are taking free gas connections in each eligible before publishing a final report, with
part in the trial. home. Gas central heating systems recommendations.”

ENERGY SUPPLIERS COULD BE REQUIRED TO throughout the installation process
and sets out the minimum standards
PUBLISH SMART METER SURVEY RESULTS suppliers must follow.
Smart meters give consumers near
real-time information on their energy
OFGEM IS CONSIDERING a The regulator is proposing the consumption and are expected to help
requirement for energy suppliers to amendment under the Smart Meter them control and manage their energy
publish the results of independent Installation Code of Practice (SMICoP), use, save money and reduce emissions.
customer surveys for smart meters, which aims to ensure consumers When energy suppliers install the
according to Energy Live News. receive a high standard of service technology above a defined threshold,

08

News.indd 3 15/08/2019 16:05