Changeworks’ Tenant Energy Support is a one-of-a-kind energy advice service for housing association tenants across Scotland.
In partnership with SGN, the service targets the most vulnerable tenants in society to access the support they need to tackle fuel poverty and be warm and safe in their homes.
What is the Tenant Energy Support Service (TES)?
The service provides comprehensive energy information, advice, and advocacy to help tenants manage their energy.
Tenants can access a range of online energy advice guides and support from an advisor on the phone when their housing association becomes a member. This includes how to solve common energy issues, such as being overcharged by a supplier, as well as ways to use less energy at home.
In addition, new tenants can have the option to join a text or email advice service to help them get set up in their home and familiar with their new heating systems as a way of helping people get off to a good start.
Changeworks introduced the service in response to an increasing demand from the social landlords to support the increasing costs and impacts of the energy and cost of living crises on their tenants.
Service impact
Since launching in September 2024, eight housing associations have signed up to the service, meaning up to 20,000 tenants now have access to energy saving resources online, provided by Changeworks.
During the first six months of the service, 330 tenants were supported directly with energy advice and advocacy, helping achieve over £50,000 in financial savings for tenants, and almost 80kg of carbon savings. These savings have been achieved through Warm Home Discount support, energy debt relief, resolution of billing errors and emergency support as well as energy saving advice.
Crucially, tenants that we have supported have reported feeling warmer at home and more confident in handling their energy matters:
- 53% of tenants now feel warmer in their home, compared to 32% before the service launched
- 69% of tenants now feel confident dealing with energy issues, compared to 35% before the service launched
- 88% of tenants have learnt to deal with energy issues from our advisors’ expertise
Testimonials
Tenants have responded well to the service and the quality of the advice they have been given, giving the following feedback:
“[The advisor] has been really helpful, prepared to listen to me and understanding. He provided me with as much support as I could have wanted.”
“In a three-way phone conversation with my supplier, [the advisor] was absolutely marvellous. I’d reached the point where I no longer had the patience with the energy company, [the advisor] took over and spoke to them on my behalf to get the issue sorted.”
“We covered all sorts of issues and [the advisor] was really easy to talk to. She was non-judgemental and really nice.”
What do housing association partners think of the service?
“Changeworks’ Tenant Energy Service has been an invaluable partner in supporting our tenants with practical, tailored energy advice. Their expert guidance has helped residents feel more confident in managing their energy use, reducing costs, and creating warmer, more comfortable homes.”
Ali Morris, Hjaltland Housing Association