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Southern Gas Networks Working Together Tackling Fuel Poverty
 

Southern gas Networks (SGN) has launched a new initiative which could substantially reduce the cost of gas connections for fuel poor customers. With many homes in Southern England still not having access to mains gas, this initiative may allow qualifying communities or individuals that are close to a suitable connection point, access to a gas supply at a cost that is more affordable than ever before.

Part of the Southern Gas Networks group, SGN serves 3.9 million households in south and south east England covering an area stretching from Milton Keynes to Dover in the east and Lyme Regis in the west, including London Boroughs south of the River Thames.  Our Assisted Connections Scheme is designed to support potential customers in existing households who are in fuel poverty. It will apply equally to customers who already live within the area of gas supply, as well as to customers living in communities that are currently off the gas grid. In both cases we would expect the cost of qualifying connections to be significantly reduced.

 

The scheme is fully supported by our industry regulator who allows us to make a return on investments that specifically target the fuel poor. This means that we are introducing new money to energy efficiency schemes that is not Government or Supplier funded. It is important however, that new connections are seen to be associated with the installation of “in house” measures that improve energy efficiency. SGN is therefore keen to work with stakeholder partners who can identify those homes or communities in all housing sectors that will benefit most from our initiative and with over 500,000 homes in the private rented sector estimated to be in fuel poverty, we are particularly keen to hear from private landlords to discuss how we might be able to help.

To qualify homes (or individuals) must meet one of the following criteria:

  • Reside within the 20% most deprived areas, as measured by the UK Government’s Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD); or

  • Be eligible for the energy efficiency measures under the UK Government’s Warm Front scheme; or

  • Fall within one of the Priority Groups (low income households or over  70 years of age) for measures under the Carbon Emissions

  • Reduction Target (CERT); or Be in fuel poverty based on the standard Government definition  that is they spend more than 10% of their disposable income on all household fuel use, to maintain a satisfactory heating level. 

For more information on this money saving
scheme please contact SGN on

0845 070 1431