Case Study

Category: Partnerships

Title: Salford Heating Installer Partnership (SHIP)

Overview 

The Salford Heating Installer Partnership (SHIP) was launched in November 2007. The partnership group includes the Salford Home Improvement Agency, the Affordable Warmth Team, and the Network Heating Installers. The partnership works together to install heating for applicants who need to ‘top up’ the Warm Front grant (currently a maximum of £2,700) using  Salford City Council Top-up Grants, or to provide Emergency Heating Grants where emergency heating is required for an applicants health and wellbeing. The partnership are also able to process Warm Front grants with their heating installers quickly.

The SHIP, developed by Salford City Council’s Home Improvement Agency & Affordable Warmth Teams, has been commended in the Municipal Journal (MJ) Awards 2008, for its innovative work in reducing health inequalities.

Drivers

The Warm Front Grant includes a provision for heating for eligible households, but the amount of the grant does not always cover the cost of the heating, and there is a waiting period so the grant is not generally appropriate for emergency cases, particularly when applicants need heating for health reasons. In Salford there was an increase in the request for top-up funding for Warm Front applicants for heating. It was also evident that in some cases heating was urgently needed.

During 2007/08 over 78 Warm Front Top-up Grants were paid. In addition 35 highly vulnerable households benefited from Emergency Heating Grants.

Over the period 1 September to 31 March 2008, the closer working relationship between the city council, heating installers and eaga plc has permitted 28 households to be directly referred to the SHIP’s heating installers for Warm Front Grant assessment. This enables the installer to quickly carry out a home-visit to check client eligibility and what works are needed. This process should reduces households waiting times.

How does the Salford Heating Installer Partnership work?  

• Salford City Council Home Improvement Agency and Affordable Warmth Team met with a group of heating installers and manufacturers in late 2006. Later an agreement was achieved to harmonise prices for emergency heating, which would financed by Salford City Council.

• The Partnership has agreed Terms of Reference & harmonized prices and other terms & conditions.  

• Rules are drawn up for Warm Front Top-up grants and Emergency Heating Grants.

• Procedures for dealing with all enquiries for Warm Front Top-up grants and Emergency Heating Grants have been developed.

• Many referrals for assistance are referred to the Home Improvement Agency via Salford’s Affordable Warmth Referral Network members. Referring partners include Age Concern, DWP, Greater Manchester South EEAC & the City Council’s Welfare Rights Service.
  

Funding

• Salford City Council (Affordable Warmth Network) agreed a budget of £30K (£15K for Warm Front top ups and £15K for emergency heating). The budget has now grown and is funded by Salford City Council via their Home Improvement Agency.

Lessons learned

Janine Kay, (one of Salford City Council's Project Officers) Due to closer partnership working with the installers, customers are receiving better value for money due to the fact that decisions can be challenged and/or negotiated on behalf of the customer to advocate their preferred choice in some aspects of work. Installers are more open to suggestions for possible changes to a planned Schedule of works so that it suits the customer’s needs more so. It has been found that the installers act as a communication link when working with eaga, when challenging decisions made by an eaga assessor”.

Future plans

 During 2008/2009 it is planned to:

•  Work with other local authorities and HIAs to help replicate similar schemes.
• To Approach Salford PCT to request additional funding to help them prevent ‘bed-blocking’ by providing highly vulnerable patients with adequate heating which prevents delayed discharges or an early return to hospital and save NHS resources.
• To approach eaga and ask if they have any details of households who have turned down a warm front grant because they could not afford the installers request for excess finding.
• To continue working with installers, who are actively identify households who benefit from Top-up Grants.

Contact

Sandra Mardell Tele: (0161) 793 2898 or Email: Sandra.mardell@salford.gov.uk or Les Laws Tele: (0161) 922 8798 Email leslie.laws@saford.gov.uk