Citizens Advice Hertsmere has secured a grant of more than £209,000 to help people living in fuel poverty for the next two years.

The donation from British Gas Energy Trust will finance the organisation's free and confidential advice services for Hertfordshire residents, assisting with debt and energy-related issues.

The Trust, funded exclusively by British Gas for over 20 years, has helped countless individuals in energy debt, offering community assistance and emergency fuel vouchers with a total expenditure of £200m.

The Trust Funded Projects Programme - SCARP (Supporting Communities at Risk Programme) supports charities throughout England, Scotland, and Wales.

These organisations provide comprehensive solutions to fuel poverty, addressing the root causes that often precipitate sustained fuel deprivation in addition to the immediate problems.

The grant was awarded after a thorough nationwide assessment, aimed at identifying groups well-equipped to help people avoid energy debt. This year, £13 million in grants have been granted to 38 organisations throughout the UK.

Jessica Taplin, CEO of the Trust, said: "I am thrilled that the Trust can continue this critical support across Britain. 

"With this funding commitment of £13m over the next two years an estimated 35,000 people across Britain will have access to these key frontline services in the heart of their community, with 60 per cent of people receiving critical in-depth support they need.  

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"Our funded money and energy advice services will provide advice and support that address root causes of fuel poverty such as poor money management and home energy inefficiency."

Helen Charlton, chair of the British Gas Energy Trust Board, said: "Our Trust funded projects are a necessity in communities up and down the country and I have witnessed first-hand the impact of these services, and I know they can have life-changing effects they can have on people affected by fuel poverty.

"This funding will enable these money and energy advice services to deliver a significant uplift in activity, including 23,000 income maximisation and benefit checks, as well as 14,000 home energy survey, more education sessions, and more people receiving help with a budget plan, with an increased focus on the holistic support of increasingly complex cases and energy advice."