Groundwork’s energy saving Green Doctors are coming to Bedfordshire

Thanks to funding from British Gas, Groundwork East will launch a new Green Doctor service for people struggling with energy bills in the county.

Groundwork Green Doctors are energy efficiency experts who provide one-to-one support to individuals and households experiencing fuel poverty by offering practical guidance on energy saving, behaviour change tips and referrals to other local support services, including debt advice and food banks.

Figures show that in 2022, more than one in 20 Central Bedfordshire households were in fuel poverty. This is 13.1% higher than the national average. In the same year, gas consumption of Bedford residents fell by 10.6%, the largest decrease in domestic gas usage since comparable records began in 2006.

Alongside self-referrals, local agencies such as Councils, housing associations, charities and foodbanks can signpost residents to the service through promotion and referrals.

Help is available to those who are: Struggling to pay energy bills; Finding it hard to manage fuel debt; Getting confused by energy bills; Owing money to energy suppliers; Using alternative methods to stay warm; Worrying about keeping warm or choosing between eating and heating; Feeling that the home is cold, damp, mouldy or draughty; Respiratory problems e.g. asthma or a persistent cough

Bedfordshire residents are able to check if they qualify for support and refer themselves/others on the Green Doctor website.

Energy advice isn’t only needed during the colder months. Recent research by the campaign group Friends of the Earth, found that older people and young children are most at risk in heat-vulnerable neighbourhoods with at least 6 million lives are at risk from extreme heat in England.

Terence Carty, Bedfordshire Green Doctor said: “It’s a pleasure to be working on the Bedfordshire Green Doctor Service and to be able to see the immediate effects of our service in people’s homes. There is so much we can do to help people reduce their energy spend and also help them with other social issues. This is the Groundwork philosophy to improve people’s lives through the environment, and the Green Doctor Service is the perfect vehicle to do this”

Bedfordshire residents can book a free consultation online, by emailing [email protected] or calling 07736 133149. To find out more about Groundwork East’s Green Doctor service, watch this video.