Coventry warm banks see rise in demand among fuel poor

Michelle Williams says the Holbrooks warm bank helps take the stigma away from being on the breadline

High levels of fuel poverty have seen a rise in demand for Coventry warm banks, the charity that runs them says.

Holbrooks Community Association supports people struggling to heat their homes and the rise has come before the weather really turns cold.

The charity opened two venues last year to help those with soaring energy prices and living costs.

In 2021, Coventry City Council said the city had one of the UK's highest levels of fuel poverty, with a rate of 20.8%.

The banks are spaces where people can go to warm up for free if they cannot afford to heat their own home.

The cost of living and the state of the British economy will come into focus this week in his autumn statement on Wednesday.

'Not even cold yet'

Holbrooks organiser Mark Graham said dozens of people had been using their warm banks in recent weeks.

"We've already got more people coming this year than we did last year - and it's not even really cold yet," Mr Graham said.

The warm bank is available for people at Holbrooks Community Centre

"Everything is costing a fortune. Things have gone down a little bit but is still costing a lot more than it did two years ago."

Earlier this month, Coventry resident Nicola Good launched a scheme in the city that offers people free coats to those who need them.

Michelle Williams, a project worker for Holbrooks, said many people faced a choice between eating and heating.

"A lot of people are in the same boat," she said. "[The bank] takes that stigma away from being on the breadline, which most of us are."

The government has already announced it will pay £300 to low-income households this month as part of its £900 support package.

In Coventry, there is a scheme that provides warm coats for those in the city who need one

One mum, who did not wish to be identified, is struggling to afford to heat her home, and the government support on offer is cold comfort.

"My energy bill went from £60 total to £188 a month," she said. "Now the government say they are giving a one-off bonus of £300 - that doesn't even touch one month's worth of electricity."

In August, Coventry City Council approved a £2.8m grant to better insulate the homes of 150 low-income households with low energy efficiency ratings in the city.

'Encourage landlords'

The council said work was already under way to improve the energy efficiency of over 2,500 homes in the city.

Last month, councillors passed a motion which called on the council to "work with partners to look at all possible ways to encourage and support landlords to improve the energy efficiency of their properties".

Esther Reeves, the Green councillor who tabled the motion, criticised the government for dropping plans to require landlords to properly insulate their properties.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak scrapped a policy that would have forced landlords to upgrade energy efficiency in their homes, in an overhaul of green policies earlier this year.

Instead, the government would "encourage" landlords to improve insulation, Mr Sunak said.

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