New fuelbank means its no longer a choice between '˜heating and eating'

The Trussell Trust, which runs 25 foodbanks in Yorkshire, has launched the scheme with energy supplier Npower today. It gives Foodbank users with prepayment meters vouchers for around two weeks’ worth of gas or electricity, meaning they will no longer have to decide between fuelling their homes and eating.

The value of the voucher will fluctuate between the winter and summer months to ensure users have enough power to last them a fortnight whatever the weather, and is worth £30 from April to end October, increasing to £49 from 1st November to March 31.

The Hull scheme follows successful pilot projects in Kingston on Thames, Durham, Gloucestershire and the Wirral last year. Hull is one of ten new Fuelbanks across the country, and Sheffield will follow early next month.

Fuel poverty charity National Energy Action (NEA) spoke to people helped in the pilots and found that many were from households with dependent children, while almost a third said someone in their home suffered from ill health or a condition made worse by the cold. The inability to afford adequate power interrupted ordinary family life which in turn exacerbated conditions such as stress and anxiety.

One user, Kevin, told the charity: “The Foodbank has enabled me to feed myself and receiving the fuel bank voucher means I can cook the food given to me and put the lights on in my house.”

Between April 2015 and March 2016, Hull Foodbank distributed over 4,900 three-day emergency food supplies to people in crisis in Hull - 1,271 of which were given to children.

Almost a third, 31 per cent, used the Foodbank due to delays in receiving their benefits, while 16 per cent needed help due to benefit changes and 19 per cent were due to having a low income. 

Manager of Hull Foodbank, Sarah Sidwell, said: “Many of the people we help live in homes where there is a prepayment meter and already explain to our team that they are forced to make the difficult decision on where limited budgets are spent and the Fuel Bank now means they will be able to cook the food we provide.

“Fuel Bank is adding another string to our bow as we continue to offer additional help and information to the local people we help.”

Npower’s director of corporate responsibility, Guy Esnouf, said the project will enable them to reach “thousands of people in crisis”.

He added: “Our first step was to trial the Fuel Bank in four areas last year. This proved the concept works - getting the right support to the people who need it most.”

Foodbank use in Yorkshire has more than doubled in the last three years to new record levels, The Yorkshire Post reported last month. More than 65,000 food packages were handed out at the Trussell Trust’s Yorkshire foodbanks over the last financial year - eight per more than in 2014/15 and more than double that of 2013/14.