Hotspots Newsletter Issue 7 Autumn 2012

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The agenda from the event can be found here:HH Event 7 Nov 2012 Front page and Agenda

You can also find the presentations from the event here: Presentations.

The County Durham Healthy Homes Partnership will be holding its third annual stakeholder event, focusing on the alleviation of fuel poverty and cold-related ill health. The event is in early development and this is an opportunity to ‘save the date’ before your diary gets too busy.

The event will be held on Wednesday 7th November 2012 in Durham. It will be a half-day event in the morning, followed by lunch.

An agenda will be circulated in due course, along with invitations, venue details and booking requirements. However, the event will cover topics such as:

• Green Deal and ECO
• National policy context including Professor Hills Fuel Poverty Review, DoH Cold Weather Plan
• NHS/Local Government/Welfare Reforms update
• Durham Fuel Poverty Projects incl. Hotspots, Energy on Prescription and more

The event will be a great networking opportunity too, with invitations going out to local, regional and national partners.

You don’t need to respond to this email, please just pop the date in your diary and we’ll send you more information over the coming weeks.

Many thanks,

Sarah Lee

The next step of the project is for project workers to go out to deliver a final series of home visits in which they will carry out home energy checks to assess the properties and refer clients for any energy efficiency measures that they may need, such as: loft insulation, cavity wall insulation or help with their heating controls. We will also help patients with information on their fuel tariffs and act as an advocate to help them to change fuel tariffs or suppliers if they could be receiving a better deal. This will help to promote choice and autonomy for patients who are usually marginalised due their age or physical illness.

We would like to extend our thanks to all of the GP practices who took part in the project, as well as Macmillan Cancer Support and Age UK, for all of their hard work.

http://www.cdhhp.co.uk/?p=1112 Continue reading →]]> If you have received Hotspots training from us, please leave us some feedback here: Hotspots Referrer Feedback. The questionnaire will only take a few minutes of your time and it will help us to improve our service. Thank you!

http://www.cdhhp.co.uk/?p=1107 Continue reading →]]> The Winter Fuel Payment is a tax free payment designed to help older people to keep warm over the winter. It is paid to over 60s (anyone born on or before 5th January 1951).

Those people excluded from the Winter Fuel Payment include:

• People who have been in hospital for more than 52 weeks as an inpatient receiving free treatment.
• People who are in prison.
• People in a care home (and have been for more than 12 weeks).

The payments are made between November and December, and if you are eligible, you can receive between £100 and £300 depending on your circumstances. To work out how much you are likely to receive, click here: Directgov How much you can get.

If you are receiving certain benefits, you will not need to fill in a claim for Winter Fuel Payments, as it will be paid to you automatically. These benefits include:

• State Pension
• Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Income Support
• Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Pension Credit
• Attendance Allowance
• Bereavement Benefit
• Carer’s Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• Graduated Retirement Benefit
• Incapacity Benefit
• Industrial Injuries Benefits
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• War Pension
• Widow’s Benefit

However, if you are only receiving Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit or Child Benefit, you do need to fill in a claim.

Winter Fuel Payments are there to keep you warm this winter. If you fit the criteria and you haven’t yet applied, please do not hesitate to make your claim.