Fuel poverty is a significant driver of poor respiratory health and health inequalities across Cheshire & Merseyside.
Cold, damp and poorly insulated homes can worsen asthma and COPD, contribute to avoidable exacerbations and increase demand on health services.
Health Innovation North West Coast has worked with NHS Cheshire & Merseyside, local authorities, community organisations and academic partners to develop innovative approaches that combine population health management with practical support for patients.
Our projects use linked data to identify people most at risk and connect them with support such as home energy improvements, welfare advice, debt support and access to local and national fuel poverty schemes. This work includes initiatives such as Warm Homes for Lungs, Warm Homes for Young Lungs and SMS Warmer Homes Direct, which proactively connects eligible COPD patients to support through GP text messaging.
Rather than creating new services, these programmes focus on making better use of existing data, support offers and partnerships. Through local collaboration between healthcare organisations, local authorities and the voluntary sector, patients can be identified and connected to support that addresses the wider factors affecting their health.
To support wider adoption, we have developed a tiered participation model that enables organisations to engage at a level that reflects their local priorities, capacity and readiness. Organisations can begin by raising awareness and signposting patients to support, progress to targeted, data-driven outreach through SMS Warmer Homes Direct, or implement a fully integrated place-based pathway combining clinical review with referral into fuel poverty and wider support services. Each level provides value in its own right whilst creating a pathway for further development over time.
To help organisations replicate and adapt this work locally, we have also developed a comprehensive Fuel Poverty Toolkit. The toolkit brings together practical implementation guidance, resources, case studies, evaluation findings and learning from programmes delivered across Cheshire & Merseyside, providing a flexible framework for organisations looking to address fuel poverty as part of their approach to improving respiratory health and reducing health inequalities.
By addressing the wider determinants of health alongside clinical care, these programmes aim to improve respiratory outcomes, reduce health inequalities and support healthier homes across the region.
1.54m people across Cheshire and Merseyside have a medical condition that would seriously increase their risk of harm if their home is poorly heated.
490,000 of these are known to live in a fuel poverty ‘hotspot’, defined as being in the top 20% of most fuel poor areas in the country.
Explore our Fuel Poverty toolkit
Access implementation guidance, resources, case studies and evaluation findings to support the development of fuel poverty and respiratory health initiatives in your area.
