Trust donation fights fuel poverty

Friday 13th April 2012

More than £10 million has been invested in projects helping people in fuel poverty by ScottishPower's charitable trust.

ScottishPower Energy People Trust has now donated £10,691,776 to more than 200 community projects nationwide.

Amaze in Brighton, which offers information, advice and support to parents and carers of children with disabilities received £90,000 from the trust.

It turned the donation into £6,000,000 by helping families claim benefits they were entitled to.

One family who have benefited from the scheme is David Page, his partner Caprice Guldhoj, son Niels and daughter Anna Lise.

David turned to Amaze after his son began suffering severe fits and his daughter was diagnosed with Lupus.

The charity helped raise their Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and assisted with a housing application for a new home with an additional bedroom for a carer for Niels.

David said: "With help from Amaze we were awarded the top level of benefits which has lifted a huge weight off our shoulders. If Niels has a fit, he becomes incontinent. Now we don't have to worry so much now about being able to afford to run a warm bath for him several times each day. It's good that the pressure and stress of how we are going to afford our next bill has been lifted."

Ann Loughrey, head of corporate social responsibility at ScottishPower and company secretary at The ScottishPower Energy People Trust, said: "We are absolutely delighted to reach our £10million funding milestone. People the length and breadth of the country have been helped by funded organisations working to alleviate fuel poverty.

"It's a very stressful time for families, the elderly or any household, when they are spending more than 10% of their income on their fuel bills and we are endeavouring to reduce that stress for them by working with local organisations which can help them tackle their specific issues."

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