A £2.5 million fund to support vulnerable families has been pledged by National Grid, the electricity distribution network operator for the South West region.
The initiative has been set up this winter as an urgent response to the cost of living crisis, which is affecting many local households.
Fuel poverty charity, the Fuel Bank Foundation, has reported a 75 per cent increase in the number of people needing its support in the last 12 months, as the cost of living increases.
With many households facing financial hardship, National Grid is calling on charities, councils and community groups of all sizes in Bath to apply for grants of up to £10,000 to tackle fuel poverty.
This is the latest round of grants from National Grid’s annual Community Matters Fund.
Earlier this year, more than 100 grassroots organisations received fuel poverty grants after making successful applications to the fund.
Alison Sleightholm, Regulation and Corporate Director at National Grid, said: “Every family deserves to have a warm home – and tackling fuel poverty is a vital and pressing priority for us this winter.
“Over the past two years, we have worked with partners to deliver £20 million of direct savings for over 40,000 customers struggling to pay their bills, and the Community Matters Fund, provided entirely by the company’s shareholders, promises to offer further support to our communities.
“We are looking to support, and partner with, community groups and organisations to achieve positive change, and we welcome funding applications from diverse community groups and organisations.”
Building on feedback from last year’s fuel poverty fund, charities and community groups in the South West will also have access to a range of free training and energy efficiency advice materials which they can tailor and share with their communities, to support planned or existing projects.
Registered charities, community groups and local authorities are all eligible to apply, using the application form available at www.nationalgrid.co.uk/community-matters-fund.
National Grid will consider applications for sums up to £10,000. The closing date for submissions is Monday 31st October.
