Keeping Birmingham’s Households Warm & Well | Charity News Blog

A ground-breaking partnership between BCHC Charity and Cadent Gas to support vulnerable people in Birmingham launched in 2024, to help them keep safe, warm and healthy at home, reducing hospital admission and delayed discharge. Just over a year on from its launch, we take a look at how the Direct Access to Wellbeing Services (DAWS) Team has been making a difference for people across the city.

The DAWS Team is funded by a £1.7 million grant from Cadent Gas as part of Ofgem's five-year Vulnerability and Carbon Monoxide Allowance fund, which has allocated money to gas distribution networks for projects to support vulnerable people and promote carbon monoxide safety. 

One person, who wished to remain anonymous, reflects on their experience with the team. “When I was referred to the DAWS Team, my family and I were really struggling… We were in arrears with our rent and utility bills and there was lots of black mould in the property which was starting to impact our health. We were too scared to raise the housing issues with our landlord in case we were evicted.

We had tried to look for support in the past but had been unsuccessful. Luckily, the DAWs Team were able to step in and offer a lot of support. We were given food and energy vouchers, carbon monoxide alarms, and a heated throw to help us stay warm. We were also given a dehumidifier to help with the mould. The Community Wellbeing Officer (CWO) also referred us to Act on Energy, who have been able to help us to get our energy debt reduced by £2,000 and are helping us to reapply for PIP. 

The CWO who handled our case spoke to us with such kindness and compassion and really made us feel heard. We still have worries, but we know now that there are people who are willing to help.”

• advised 84,464 individuals
• funded over £90,036 worth of items and fuel coupons
• supplied 660 slow cookers
• distributed 1,065 heated throws

• issued 17,077 carbon monoxide alarms

Another patient said, “They registered me onto the priority services register , gave me a food voucher, and provided me with a slow cooker so that I could prepare healthy meals while keeping my energy bills down… The CWO helped me to apply for a new fridge through my energy supplier. Having a fridge again is such a relief as it means that I can buy fresh food, and my daughter and I can eat much healthier meals. Since receiving this support, I feel so much more positive and less anxious. I honestly can't thank you enough.”

BCHC's Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Officer Strategy & Partnerships, Suzanne Cleary said: “Our vision at BCHC is to provide the best care to create healthy communities. By working in partnership with Cadent, we can help address health inequalities and the underlying causes of poor health. This project will help our most vulnerable patients and users to get the best out of the NHS services that we provide and, ultimately, help people live well for longer within their communities.”

Earlier this year, Centerprise International donated 50 mobile phones and chargers to the team which, alongside a donation of SIM cards from Vodafone, provide additional support for those in digital poverty. A student recalls how this helped them; “My husband is unemployed and I'm a student, so money is very tight… I explained that we only had one phone, which I could use at college. It was stressful because my husband needed to be available for job calls, and I needed a phone for safety. When I was given a phone and SIM card, I cried happy tears; it felt like someone truly cared about us. These things have changed my life. I feel less alone, more secure, and like I have a chance to get through this difficult time.”

The DAWs Team accepts referrals from professionals and assesses people based on their Warm and Well criteria. Visit their webpage to find out more.