Winter Warmth Network: Streamlining access to support as energy bills rise

Winter is coming, and energy bills have risen by 10 per cent this month. For over 20 million people who are already financially vulnerable in the UK, it’s likely to be tough. Many households in fuel poverty will have to choose between heating and eating, or paying their rent to keep their homes. 70 per cent of the people registered on the Lightning Reach portal already struggle with energy costs, and that’s before prices rise yet again this winter.

Many housing providers I speak with are concerned about supporting residents through this difficult time. Over 56 per cent of social housing residents are not aware of what support could be available to them, and find it hard to access help - particularly when faced with complex application forms or long call waiting times. Even experts at the frontline struggle to navigate the fragmented and complex ecosystem which includes thousands of grants, local authority schemes, energy schemes and other support. Social housing providers often also find it challenging to reach and engage residents most in need, and to manage their internal support offerings (e.g. grants, advice) efficiently.

To address these issues, I started Lightning Reach during the pandemic to make it easier for people to find and apply for a wide range of financial support, all in one place. We enable housing providers to change the lives of their residents and improve staff capacity by empowering more people to self-serve and rapidly access support through a simple online portal. Our unique platform not only matches residents to personalised support across over 2,500 schemes, but leverages innovative technology such as open banking to streamline the application process and gather rich data and insights on resident circumstances.

Over the last couple of years we’ve registered 140,000 people (of which 40 per cent are in social housing) and facilitated over £15 million in grants and other support. We work with a cross-sector range of partners, including social landlords such as PA Housing, Lambeth Council and SNG - as well as charities, local authorities and corporates. As a social impact Fintech startup, we are funded by mission-aligned investors including the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Big Issue Invest and Barrow Cadbury Trust.

This winter, we’ve decided to start the Winter Warmth Network - bringing together the vast array of support available to individuals who may struggle in the coming months. We’re also keen to shine a spotlight on the amazing work being done to support individuals in need - and facilitate more collaboration across the sector. If we work together to join the dots, proactively engage underserved residents and prevent more people from falling into crisis this winter, the difference we can make is massive.

One example is Vivian, a single mother and full-time carer from Croydon. Caring for her child with severe autism and epilepsy left her unable to work. After fleeing an abusive relationship and moving into a council house needing urgent repairs, she faced rising energy bills and financial strain. Referred by a family member, Vivian applied through the Lightning Reach portal and was connected to SHINE, a London-wide energy advice service run by Islington Council. She received over £450 in support, including £150 for energy bills and essential home items like an air fryer, a slow cooker and quilts.

"To go from nowhere to getting support was incredible, I didn’t even know this existed. It relieves so much stress, looking ahead at winter… It’s been a long time since I smiled like that."

To support more people like Vivian, we are looking to collaborate with partners across multiple sectors, who can either offer vital support to residents this winter or help to raise awareness of the support that’s available to their residents. We already have over 50 amazing organisations involved in the network, and would love to expand the impact we can make collectively across the ecosystem.

If your organisation would like to join the Winter Warmth Network, please feel free to get in touch and learn more.

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