Never try and face the journey alone: Exploring the face-to-face advocacy needs of fuel poor householders in the United Kingdom

Abstract

The Scottish Government’s recent review of its definition of fuel poverty has increased the focus on how best to deliver support to the most vulnerable fuel poor householders. Previously we have argued that this requires a greater emphasis on delivering face-to-face and in-home energy advocacy services however, we have also noted the need for further research to inform policy in this area. This paper presents findings from two related studies to elucidate our understanding of the energy advocacy needs of vulnerable householders. The first is a quantitative analysis of the types of support provided to vulnerable householders in Renfrewshire, which is contiguous with Greater Glasgow. The second is a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with clients accessing energy advocacy services provided by South Seeds, a charity serving the Glasgow Southside community, conducted as part of a wider evaluation of the organisation. These serve to illustrate that often the support sought is for advice that must be delivered face-to-face and in-home, supporting previous studies that show the provision of advice by telephone and online is often insufficient for meeting the needs of vulnerable householders.