AgilityEco’s fuel poverty outreach service LEAP wins at the SHIFT AWARDS 2017

LEAP wins “Best Resident Engagement Project” 

 

AgilityEco, leading experts in energy efficiency and carbon reduction, have won the award for “Best Resident Engagement Project” at the Sustainable Homes SHIFT Awards for their fuel-poverty outreach service LEAP (Local Energy Advice Programme).


The awards, presented at a ceremony in London on Thursday 30th November, recognised the achievements of LEAP, AgilityEco’s fully funded, council-led national fuel poverty alleviation service. LEAP is a free outreach service provided in partnership with local authorities and housing associations, as well as a number of key community energy partners, delivering vital help and support to vulnerable residents. Eligible residents receive a home visit from a qualified LEAP Home Energy Advisor who can provide simple energy efficiency measures, energy saving advice, help to switch tariffs and practical support with income, benefits and debt problems.


The “Best Resident Engagement Project” award acknowledges an initiative or project that has had a tangible impact on residents, leading to them making significant and prolonged behaviour change in terms of sustainable living. This includes tackling fuel poverty, water and energy efficiency, food waste and promoting greener living. LEAP’s award-winning entry comprised a combination of substantial statistical evidence of reducing resident energy bills and LEAP’s positive impact on the environment (realised in carbon savings), as well as real-life customer testimonials explaining how LEAP has effected life-changing results on their daily lives – financially and in terms of their health and wellbeing. 


In addition, LEAP won points on its holistic, partner-led approach to the customer journey and streamlined eligibility process, in addition to its overall customer outreach and engagement programme. Working with a growing number of LEAP partners, constant feedback and communication, scalability as well as continuous, quality training for all Home Energy Advisors, referrers and LEAP staff were also key to winning this award.


Award winning achievements:
 
  • With only £500,000 of funding LEAP has resulted in almost £3,000,000 of bill savings for residents. These savings are a result of the installation of simple energy efficiency measures, provision of energy saving advice, helping residents switch to better value energy tariffs and helping them identify income streams they can access.
  • From a standing start the service reached 3,000 residents in the first six months. LEAP is now regularly receiving over 300 referrals per week from a range of trusted referrers in local councils, housing associations, healthcare and voluntary agencies with a target of around 9,000 residents.
  • LEAP has now tripled in size from when it launched in January 2017, with 70 local authorities now actively referring their residents into LEAP.  Its rapid growth as well as support and investment from major energy companies (SSE, ScottishPower, First Utility, Flow Energy, Co-op Energy) has led to a long list of Councils and Housing Associations waiting to join the programme.
  • LEAP is now being offered across the country to a total population of around 14 million people.

 

Gearóid Lane, CEO of AgilityEco, said: “We’re thrilled that LEAP has won the award for Best Resident Engagement Project at this year’s SHIFT awards and that our programme has been recognised for its achievements over a relatively short period of time. We’ve worked hard to ensure we have the support of major energy companies, Ofgem and also exceptional delivery partners to help us roll this scheme out nationally.  We’re proud that we have been able to scale from a standing start to deliver high quality support to over 3,000 households that need a little extra help in council areas across Britain. Frontline council staff have really embraced the service, enabling our LEAP Home Energy Advisors to deliver indispensable help, support and advice up and down the country.”

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For further information visit www.applyforleap.org.uk