Smart Energy GB in Communities: First round of large grant recipients announced

4th October 2016

Eighteen organisations working in communities across Great Britain have received grants to spread the word about smart meters. These organisations are the first recipients of large grants from the Smart Energy GB in Communities fund.

Smart Energy GB is the voice of the national smart meter rollout. Every home in Britain will be offered a smart meter by their energy supplier, at no extra cost, by 2020. Smart meters provide gas and electricity readings directly to suppliers, meaning an end to estimated billing. An accompanying in-home display shows people how much they are using in pounds and pence.

This grant fund is a central part of Smart Energy GB’s work to ensure everyone in Great Britain hears about smart meters and knows how to use them to get their gas and electricity under control. It is working with partners across the country to reach people who may face barriers to claiming or using their smart meter.

Eighteen organisations have been awarded grants of between £10,000 and £25,000. Projects range from training and workshops for community representatives, to developing informative films for people with learning disabilities.

Applications for the large grants fund are currently closed and will re-open in 2017. Smaller grants of less than £10,000 will also be available to local organisations.

Both funds are managed by Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), which has 45 years’ experience in designing and delivering strategic grant-making programmes. It is part of the Smart Energy GB in Communities programme, which is delivered by a consortium of charities - National Energy Action (NEA) and Energy Action Scotland (EAS), Media Trust and CAF - to help ensure no one is left behind in the smart meter rollout.

Sacha Deshmukh, Chief Executive of Smart Energy GB, said:

“Smart meters are transforming the way we buy and use energy. Our job at Smart Energy GB is to make sure that everyone in Britain knows what a smart meter is, how to get one, and how to use it to get their gas and electricity under control.

“We know we can’t do this job alone. We rely on expert partners to share information in ways that work for people who may need additional support to understand how to get and use a smart meter. We’re delighted to be working with our new partners, through the Smart Energy GB in Communities fund, to ensure everyone has the information they need to benefit from this transformative new technology.”

David Stead, Director of Philanthropy at CAF, said:

“We are delighted to be working with Smart Energy GB on this important campaign to help everyone in Great Britain understand what the smart meter rollout means for them. CAF has considerable experience of running grant-making programmes and working with tens of thousands of charities across the country. Improving people’s lives is what charities do best. This fund is providing a real opportunity for charities to make a difference by ensuring that no one gets left behind in finding out more about smart meters.”

The following organisations have been awarded grants of between £10,000 and £25,000 and will launch projects before the end of this calendar year.

Action in Caerau and Ely
Act on Energy
Carers Scotland
Centre for Sustainable Energy
Community Action Northumberland
Devon Communities Together
Future Climate
Groundwork Leeds
Groundwork North Wales
Groundwork Wales
Lewisham Council
London Sustainability Exchange
Melin Homes
NUS
Severn Wye Energy Agency
South East Wales Energy Agency
TAPE Community Action and Film
Wealden District Council

Further details on the grants awarded can be found at: www.cafonline.org/smartenergygb

-ENDS-

Notes to editors

About the Smart Energy GB in Communities fund

The Smart Energy in Communities fund is for organisations working with one or more priority groups that Smart Energy GB has identified as potentially facing barriers to awareness, uptake, and use of smart meters.

Grants are available for not-for-profit organisations that can help Smart Energy GB reach priority groups, including:

district heating customers (those who share a communal source of heat with other properties)
people lacking proficiency in English (or Welsh in Wales)
people lacking basic digital skills
people with a learning disability
people with low literacy
people with memory impairment
people with no personal internet access
off-grid gas customers
prepay customers
private tenants
people with severe or profound deafness
social housing tenants

Priority groups are likely to change as the smart meter rollout progresses so please refer to latest guidance for more information.

The Smart Energy GB in Communities fund will re-open in early 2017.

Visit smartenergyGB.org/partner-resources for further information on Smart Energy GB in Communities.

About Smart Energy GB

Smart Energy GB is the voice of the smart meter rollout. It’s our task to help everyone in Great Britain understand smart meters, the national rollout and how to use their new meters to get their gas and electricity under control. Our national campaign has already begun and will reach all households and microbusinesses in England, Scotland and Wales. For more information visit our website smartenergyGB.org

About smart meters and the rollout

Smart meters will replace the traditional meters we currently have in our homes. They will provide consumers with accurate bills, near real time information on energy usage in pounds and pence, and greater control over their gas and electricity. The smart meter rollout is an essential technology upgrade, unprecedented in its scale, to improve Great Britain’s energy infrastructure. Between now and 2020, everyone across England, Scotland and Wales will be offered a smart meter by their energy supplier at no extra cost. More than 4 million smart meters have already been installed across Great Britain. To find out how you can get a smart meter from your energy supplier, pick up a leaflet from your local Post Office® branch or visit smartenergyGB.org/get-a-smart-meter

Smart Energy GB media contacts

For more information including interview requests, case studies of smart meter users, infographics, photography and video content please contact the Smart Energy GB media team:

Janqui Mehta: [email protected]; 0203 019 1063/07715 665 112