Diversity Living Services

Monday, 17 December 2012

Fuel poverty 'could hit another 300,000' people

Price hikes will push another 300,000 people into fuel poverty by Christmas and 9 million homes could be in fuel poverty by 2016, according to the Fuel Poverty Advisory Group.

While the government says it is acting to reduce energy prices, new figures show price hikes will push another 300,000 people into fuel poverty within weeks.

"With a cold winter, welfare reforms cutting incomes, and all at a time of austerity measures and other rising household costs, the plight of the fuel poor has never been more serious,” said Derek Lickorish, chairman of the Department of Energy-funded group Fuel Poverty Advisory Group.

Millions are living in misery due to high energy bills, he said. Nearly half of the UK's fuel poor households are pensioners, a third of homes house people with a disability or illness, 20 per cent include a child aged five or under and one in 10 house someone aged 75 or over.

http://www.channel4.com/news/fuel-poverty-could-hit-another-300-000-people

300,000 more homes in fuel poverty

Some 300,000 more homes are likely to have been pushed into "fuel poverty" by Christmas amid soaring energy prices, an advisory body has warned.

The Fuel Poverty Advisory Group (FPAG) urged Prime Minister David Cameron to take stronger action to ensure there is a more widespread and ambitious effort to tackle "spiralling" fuel poverty levels. It said the latest round of energy price rises has increased the average annual energy bill by 7%, taking it to £1,247 for direct debit customers and £1,336 for cash and cheque customers.

These increases are likely to have pushed a further 300,000 households into fuel poverty and estimates have already shown that over nine million households could be living in fuel poverty by 2016, the FPAG said.

The FPAG said the Government should create a cross-departmental group on fuel poverty to ensure a joined-up approach as well as creating a new duty for local authorities to meet fuel poverty targets. It said the Government should also carry out an urgent impact assessment of welfare reforms on fuel poverty.

http://money.uk.msn.com/300000-more-homes-in-fuel-poverty

http://news.sky.com/story/1026330/fuel-poverty-warning-for-300000-more-homes

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/fuel-poverty-warning-300-000-more-homes-042850766.html

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/415746/20121217/uk-fuel-poverty-fpag-david-cameron.htm

How to cut your energy use and save money

It is cold out on the streets of Britain at the moment and that means it is tempting to stay at home and turn the thermostat up.

The cost of doing so is still rising fast.

Eon has joined the other major energy providers: SSE, British Gas, Npower, Scottish Power and EDF.

All have now announced big price rises this winter for their customers.

But the Energy Saving Trust reckons that British households are wasting an average of £270 each a year by wasting their heat.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20725850

Fuel poverty 'spiralling', warns lobby group

Around 300,000 extra households could be forced into fuel poverty within weeks, according to a lobby group.

The Fuel Poverty Advisory Group has called on Prime Minister David Cameron to tackle what it describes as a "spiralling" problem.

Energy prices have risen by 7% on average this year, taking the average annual direct debit bill to £1,247.

A household is considered to be in fuel poverty if more than 10% of its income is spent on home heating.

The Fuel Poverty Advisory Group, which is funded by the Department of Energy, estimates that nine million people could meet that criteria by 2016, and that 300,000 additional homes will be added to that figure this winter alone.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20751708

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Our Vision and Services

Our vision is of a society where no one should experience discrimination on the grounds of their mental health.

Mental health problems are extremely common across society, with one in four of us experiencing them in any year. Despite being so common, people from all communities will still experience discriminatory attitudes and behaviours that can prevent people from speaking out, seeking support and playing full and active roles in our communities. The impact of mental health stigma and discrimination will vary between communities as mental health has a cultural context that affects the way communities talk about the subject and engage with people who have mental health problems. In some cultures depression, for example, doesn't exist and in others an experience of a mental health problem can be attached to a sense of shame.

For the African and Caribbean communities a key issue is the overrepresentation of young African and Caribbean men in mental health services. Misconceptions and stereotypes have led to a perception that this group is more likely to pose a risk of violent behaviour and, as a result, they are more likely to be treated as inpatients and sectioned when compared to other groups. It is well documented that this has led to a fear of talking about mental health issues more openly and a fear of using mental health services. Research by the Race Equality Foundation (2011) also highlighted fears that discrimination against Black & Minority Ethnic (BME) communities and migrant service users will increase in the austerity climate and whilst commissioning arrangements change.

Our Services

· Provide information, advice, advocacy

· Represent diversity communities in Health Care services, policies and strategies

· Organise training in health and social care in collaboration with local colleges

· Provide human resources ( including interpreters) who are suitable to the diversity communities especially to break language and cultural barriers

· Provides domiciliary care and support

· Provide services such specialised support for people with mental health needs, including people who suffer from short-term memory problems, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.

· Provide visits to elderly people and help them with outings and home services

· Participate in local authority and NHS consultations , research events and programmes to voice the needs of diversity communities.

· Increase access to services and rights for disadvantaged people and the most vulnerable of our society

· Help and support unemployed people to look for work, including training and job preparation

· Provide legal advice in a range of issues from on Immigration and Asylum , welfare benefits, housing, health, education, community care, and training, employment, etc.

· Provide advice and guidance, information and practical help so that our service users can access opportunities they are entitled to

· Organise training and other community learning opportunities that provide new skills, increase confidence and motivation

· Support our service users to overcome barriers to learning, employment and training

· Provide support for young people with their education, training, confidence building, employment and social needs.

Objectives of our Diversity Living Programme:

· To promote the inclusion and participation of diversity communities* in integrated care.

· To inform policy, locally and nationally, and assisting in the formulation of effective policies, strategies and good practices in integrated care in order to contribute to improved health outcomes for the people from the diversity communities (e.g. Black and minority ethnic communities) and to ensure health services are able to meet their specific needs.

· To improve the quality of life for diversity people with disability, mental health problems and their families and carers through integrated care by providing inclusive advocacy and information.

· To provide service that enable diversity groups and individuals with disability /elderly and their carers to make the right choice for themselves and have an influence on decisions made about their future.

· To promote the rights of diversity people with disability, their families and carers and make sure their rights are safe and protected.

· To promoting access to information regarding healthcare issues and to raise awareness of the needs of diversity disabled children, young people, older people and their families.

· To promote the rights of older and disabled diversity people, helping them overcome and enable them to participate in decisions about their future

· To provide support and information to those suffering the isolation and loneliness that can be associated with disability and old age

· To fight against mental health stigma in refugee, black and minority ethnic communities and ensure no one should experience discrimination on the grounds of their mental health or disability.

*Diversity communities are older people, disabled people, Black, Asian, refugees, migrants, asylum seekers and other ethnic minorities.

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