How Rochdale Council plans to help residents keep warm this winter

Households across Greater Manchester are bracing themselves for a long hard winter that it is feared could leave many choosing between heating and eating.

The Bank of England has warned that a typical home will be paying almost £300 a month for their energy from October, with the price cap due to rise by 70%.

Meanwhile the price of food, fuel and other unavoidable costs continues to skyrocket with inflation now set to hit 13%. 

The charity National Energy Action predicts one in three consumers could be plunged into fuel poverty if energy bills rise as much as expected.

Against such a grim backdrop, Rochdale Borough Council is already putting plans in place to help residents get through the cold and worrying months that lie ahead.

The local authority says it will continue to work with partners, the community and the voluntary sector to support households in greatest need – as it has done since the beginning of the pandemic.

This could involve some form of heat banks, according to one senior councillor.

Deputy council leader Daalat Ali said: “We are developing a joint plan around supporting households most at risk over the winter period and will be discussing how people might access warm buildings.”

Thousands of families, older residents and households in greatest need can access aid through the council's Household Support Fund.

The Household Support Fund can provide assistance for those in greatest need through:

• Targeted help with energy costs for people aged over 66
• Supermarket and fuel vouchers through the council’s Household Assistance Fund
• Support for the Household Energy Scheme, operated through Groundwork, to assist with energy bills and low-cost energy-saving measures                                             

Households in particular need are being encouraged to get in touch, to see what assistance could be available for them.

Residents can go to www.rochdale.gov.uk/householdsupport or phone the hotline number on 01706 923685, 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday.

Additionally, a Greater Manchester-wide resource hub has been announced to help residents with support and advice during the cost-of-living crisis.

Local leaders from the 10 districts and the Mayor have all raised concerns from residents about increasing pressures brought on by food and fuel costs, whilst a residents’ survey carried out in March and April found more than two thirds of people cite finance as a current concern.

A third of people said there were times over the past year when they couldn’t afford to eat a balanced meal, while a quarter said someone in their household had cut back on meals or skipped them entirely.

Councillor Amanda Chadderton, GMCA Lead for Equalities, Inclusion and Cohesion said: “It is appalling that in 2022, in this country, a lot of our residents have to choose whether to heat or to eat. What we’re going to see over the next two years is more people falling into poverty, in communities already scarred by entrenched deprivation and the impact of the pandemic.

“It’s incumbent on all of us to act, and act quickly, as we go through the rest of this year to tackle this crisis head-on.”

The GMCA has launched a new online resource to help guide residents to support available in their area, covering a variety of topics including help with food bills, energy, childcare costs, pension credit top-up, help with transport costs, mental health and well-being (including gambling harm) and digital inclusion. It will also signpost people to local authorities and national support where appropriate.

Residents can visit www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/helpinghand to find out more.

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporter
Additional reporting: Rochdale Online News