WARMBURGH ADVICE TEAM
Warmburgh Advice Team
The Warmburgh Advice Team is just one of several projects set up under Edinburgh's Affordable Warmth Strategy The Warmburgh Plan and aims to make Edinburgh homes affordable to heat and to reduce carbon emissions in the city.
The Warmburgh Advice Team offers detailed advice to help you use less gas and electricity if you live in the city of Edinburgh.
You can reach us on FREEPHONE 0800 512 012.
Our advice is:
- FREE
- Independent of any gas or electricity supplier
- Tailored to your home and your financial situation
Following our advice will help you to:
- Use only the amount of gas and electricity you need to keep your home warm enough
- Use your lighting and appliances without waste
- Keep your fuel costs down
- Access grants for insulation or central heating that are available to you
- Resolve problems with your gas or electricity supplier
The Warmburgh Advice Team can direct you to other organisations that specialise in fuel billing advice, complaints about gas or electricity suppliers, claiming benefits and other money advice.
For more information, please contact the Warmburgh Advice Team on: FREEPHONE 0800 512 012 from a landline or payphone or 0131 555 4010 from a mobile or email: energyadvice@changeworks.org.uk
Or you can write to us at:
Warmburgh Advice Team
Changeworks
36 Newhaven Road
Edinburgh
EH6 5PY
We can take direct referrals from advice agencies, housing offices and health professionals.
The Warmburgh Advice Team has also produced advice sheets. Please contact us if you would like a set.
Warmburgh Advice Team - what can we do for you?
The Warmburgh Advice Team offers FREE advice on anything to do with heating, insulation, energy bills and condensation dampness in the home to any household in the City of Edinburgh.
We can:
- Show you how to control your heating most efficiently, so you aren’t wasting gas or electricity or money on your fuel bills
- Help you to find ways to use less fuel and ensure that you get value for money from the fuel that you use
- Tell you about grants and special offers which you may be entitled to for insulation and heating
- Offer advice on dealing with, and preventing, condensation dampness
- Advise you on the different ways you can pay for gas and electricity. If you are having a problem with your gas or electricity supplier we can and speak to fuel companies on your behalf
- Help you find the cheapest fuel supplier for your home
- Put you in touch with other organisations that may be able to help
- Give a talk to your community group, tenants group, lunch club etc.
Our advice service is FREE and is available to everyone in Edinburgh: council tenants, housing association tenants, people who rent from a private landlord and homeowners.
The Warmburgh Advice Team aims to help people to take action that will:
Cut CO2 emissions
Carbon Dioxide - CO2 - is the main 'greenhouse gas' causing climate change by warming the atmosphere. CO2 is released into the atmosphere when gas, coal or oil are burned either in the home or in a power station to generate electricity. By cutting down the amount of fuel that is burnt, we can cut down the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere. By cutting down the amount of CO2 that goes into the atmosphere, we can help to slow down the 'greenhouse effect'.
Save money on fuel bills
13,000 Edinburgh households have to spend more than 10% of their household income on fuel to keep their home warm enough and use their appliances. By helping them to cut down the amount of fuel they use – but still keep warm and use the appliances they need wisely, we help them save money, which can then be spent on other things such as food, clothes, transport and entertainment.
In 2002 – 03 the Warmburgh Advice Team helped Edinburgh householders to install insulation and efficient central heating. This will help them to save around £930 a year on fuel bills (source: Ofgem). If these householders continue to follow the advice of the Warmburgh Advice Team on heating, lighting and appliances, they will save £3,680 per year (source: Energy Saving Trust).
People helped by the Warmburgh Advice Team in 2003 - 04 saved £15,460 a year from insulation and efficient heating and can save a further £10,410 a year by continuing to follow our advice.
People helped by the Warmburgh Advice Team in 2004 - 05 saved £14,900 a year from insulation and efficient heating and can save a further £11,863 a year by continuing to follow our advice.
In 2003, 2004 and 2005 the Warmburgh Advice Team was able to pay for insulation and heating for people whose fuel bills were more than 10% of their income and who could not afford to pay for the work to be done to make them more efficient. For some, we topped up other grants to cover the full cost of the work. Others did not qualify for any other grant, because of their circumstances. The Warmburgh Advice Team would like to be able to offer this help to more Edinburgh households and we are always looking for organisations to contribute to our grant fund.
In 2003, 2004 and 2005 we funded or part-funded:
• Nine new central heating systems
• Eight replacement boilers
• Eight cavity wall insulation
• 11 loft insulation, pipe and tank lagging
• Three draughtproofing improvements
The Warmburgh Advice Team has advised around 600 households a year since October 2002 and would like to be able to provide advice to many more people each year, helping them to keep warm and save money.
For general advice about saving energy at home, click here.
Home visits
If you are not sure how best to use your heating controls, or read your gas or electricity meter, or if you have damp in your home, we can arrange a home visit. Contact us for details.
Funding
The Warmburgh Advice Team is funded by The City of Edinburgh Council to provide an energy advice service to council tenants in Edinburgh.
This funding comes from The City of Edinburgh Council’s Preferred Supplier Arrangement with Scottish Hydro Electric (Scottish and Southern). Each time a council house or flat becomes empty, the gas and electricity supply are switched to Scottish Hydro Electric. The City of Edinburgh Council is paid a set amount by Scottish Hydro Electric for each switch. Scottish Hydro Electric provides four FREE low-energy light bulbs for each new tenant.
When a tenant moves into the house or flat they are free to switch to a different fuel supplier if they wish to do so. Warmburgh Advice Team can help and provides independent advice to the tenant as to which supplier will offer them the cheapest fuels and their customer service rating, using a range of independent services approved by energywatch, the gas and electricity watchdog.
Supporting People funding is provided by the Scottish Government to local authorities to allow them to pay for services that provide housing support and advice. The Warmburgh Advice Team receives Supporting People funding via The City of Edinburgh Council.
