Health and social care professionals – Green Health Champions

Download the flyer | Contact Us | Useful links

Health, social care & cold homes

Cold, damp homes make health conditions worse, and can lead to excess winter deaths. The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) and the National Institute for Health & Social Care (NICE) explain that “simple, well planned, preventative action could help avoid over 28,000 deaths each year as a result of living in cold homes”.

 

What are the risks?

  • Cold, damp homes have a bad effect on health, make health conditions worse and can lead to excess winter deaths.
  • Not everyone realises how harmful a cold home is to health, and what can be done about it.
  • Illnesses linked to cold, damp and dangerous homes cost the NHS more than £2.5 billion a year (Institute of Health Equality).

Who is most at risk?

  • People aged 65 and over
  • Children aged under 5
  • People with respiratory and circulatory conditions such as COPD and childhood asthma
  • People with cardiovascular conditions
  • People with mental health issues or accidental injury
  • People who are pregnant
  • People on a low income

Green Health Champions

Health and social care professionals have regular contact with the most vulnerable people who are living in cold homes, and can identify those whose home is a risk to their health. Health and social care professionals in Rossendale can become a ‘Green Health Champion’ by offering relevant information via the Fairer Warmth app, and making referrals to Rossendale Valley Energy which is a single point of contact (SPOC).

Fairer Warmth is an app that can be used to check for insulation grants and start an energy saving action plan; it can be used on a PC, or a phone or a tablet. Health and social care professionals who become Green Health Champions will gain access to the champion hub in Fairer Warmth, and can keep track of any patients or clients that they’ve referred to Rossendale Valley Energy.

Rossendale Valley Energy is running the Green Health Champion project until March 2026, so that health and social care professionals can use the Fairer Warmth app and become a Green Health Champion. Any health and social care professionals who would would like to identify vulnerable people who live in cold homes, and gain access to the champion hub on Fairer Warmth, please get in touch with us and we’ll arrange to come and see you.

Contact our Energy Advice team

Fairer Warmth
Fairer Warmth

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)
Helping to prevent winter deaths and illnesses associated with cold homes

NICE / SCIE guide – Download the guide

NHS England elearning for healthcare (ELFH)
NHS elearning – Helping People Living in Cold Homes

Centre for Sustainable Energy
Combating the health impacts of cold homes