1. Dr Carolyn Snell and Dr Mark Bevan
Supporting disabled people and families through energy efficiency measures: evidence from interviews
Dr Carolyn Snell and Dr Mark Bevan
Department of Social Policy and Social Work and Centre for Housing Policy
University of York, UK
7th June 2018

2. Overview of session Focus on the practical elements first
Identification of barriers to supporting households and recommendations that have come from project interviews
Discussion about whether we have missed anything, whether these ring true
We will then discuss wider policy level recommendations

3. Multiple challenges at different stages
Policy settings e.g. eligibility
Finding eligible households
Take up and completion of measures

4. Barriers to accessing measures: the complexity caused by ECO
Restrictive/changing eligibility criteria – e.g. benefits as proxies
‘By using proxies such as [welfare benefits]…if you are a low wage family or even a family with a disabled child but are working you never get picked up’
‘Compared to Warm Front if you were eligible you got it…it didn’t shift according to how close companies were to hitting their targets and so on…’ [S8]
Issues of cost – partial funding of work, upper limits, only some measures
‘It’s not the best model because we will turn away a lot of people because they’re too expensive to deliver to’ [S9]
Mitigated by: impact of intermediaries/safe places
For advice, help during eligibility checks
Installation: the positive impact of a tailored approach v negative impact of one size fits all… ‘How do you actually deal with all those issues in terms of ‘I don’t want my install today as I have a hospital appointment’

5. Barriers to accessing measures: finding households
It is difficult to find/access vulnerable households, especially through general targeting measures such as letter drops
This corresponds with what we now know about how households engage with information:
Households struggle to negotiate the ‘information minefield’ when researching energy efficiency measures
There are substantial issues around trust when seeking information or receiving unsolicited information

6. Barriers to accessing measures: household concerns
Additional household barriers to take up
Household perceptions of eligibility
Information, lack of trust in the energy industry (legacy of switching campaigns), capacity, fear
Eligibility checks/screening process hard going
Concerns about actual work
‘How do you actually deal with all those issues in terms of ‘I don’t want my install today as I have a hospital appointment’

7. Meet Mike
Mike is disabled and lives in the PRS. He receives means tested benefits as a result of his disability…

8. At this point eligibility is largely determined by national policy decisions
At this point likelihood of receiving measures is determined by factors such as data (and also cost)
At this point installation is
determined by communication,
capacity and trust
Will Mike get support?

9. Evidence of how these barriers have been addressed
Evidence from interviews with those working
within the energy efficiency field

10. Addressing eligibility criteria and cost
Working to reduce the number of households excluded through eligibility criteria or cost
Making use of ECO flex to overcome restrictive eligibility criteria – allows referrals of people not on benefits and at risk of fuel poverty
Evidence of partnerships that allowed greater flexibility through top up funds – most common examples through health/LAs

11. Finding households
Working with/through: children’s centres, schools, health settings, health visitors, social workers, housing teams, community groups, charities
These organisations have specific community knowledge including how to find people and what they need
Can refer households into schemes, can potentially support households through process

12. Encouraging take up and reducing drop out
‘One thing that we’ve learnt is that we can’t assume that [with vulnerable groups] a traditional customer approach is going to work at all well’ [S9]

13. Encouraging take up
Value of ‘one touch’ services that provide multiple entitlement checks
Provides more rounded support
Improves legitimacy of energy efficiency schemes
The importance of supporting households through the application process
Trusted intermediaries
Single point of contact
The value of offline/online communities
Exchange of information in a trusted environment
Can try before you buy

14. Improving take up and reducing drop out
Tailored support including home visits:
‘people have required...three or four one-to-one sessions, or multiple home visits’
Allows concerns to be fully discussed and addressed
In many cases addresses issues of trust and reduces concerns about risk

15. Encouraging take up and reducing drop out
Data suggests that a pre work agreement with the household would be of benefit:
Action plan should outline what the household should expect during the work
Clear plan of action detailing specific needs and how these will be addressed
Point of contact should be identified

16. The most positive experiences
Information
Clear, accurate, consistent, provided early on
Assessment
In person (home visit), same point of contact, personalised to needs
Installation
Is flexible to household needs, provides additional physical help if necessary, installers are aware of household needs
Aftercare
Provides swift resolutions to problems that have arisen, household can return to original point of contact

17. Summarising this…

18. …he is eligible for ECO assuming that his home is suitable for retrofit
Mike received an entitlement check from a national charity supporting him with his condition. The charity has a partnership with an energy company.
…the charity supported him through the process, helping him with various aspects of the installation

19. ELIGIBLE IDENTIFIED Mike’s installation was successful because he was…
SUPPORTED

20. Questions for you… How far does this coincide with your experience?
Have we missed anything?
What would a guide written to support people involved in home energy efficiency measures look like? What would you like it to look like?
In your experience what needs to happen to take this forward/what needs to change?

21. Thanks carolyn. snell@york. ac. uk @Carolyn_Snell @SPSW www. ukerc. ac
Thanks