Written Statement: Funding to the Fuel Bank Foundation to continue to provide the Fuel Voucher and heat fund schemes (15 November 2024)

Since June 2022, the Welsh Government has provided grant funding to support the Fuel Bank Foundation to develop their network in Wales and to support those in financial crisis who have to pre-pay for their fuel.

The scheme provides support to eligible households that pre-pay for their fuel and are at risk of disconnection. This includes the provision of fuel vouchers for homes with prepayment meters and deliveries of oil or gas for those not connected to the mains gas network.

Our support has enabled the Fuel Bank Foundation to grow a network of more than 126 referral partners based in Wales plus another 13 UK partners who also support Welsh households. To date the Fuel Bank Foundation has issued over 62,000 fuel vouchers, provided over 2,500 heated throws and supported over 360 households receive help to purchase off grid fuel.

I am pleased to announce that I will be making an additional £700,000 available for the Fuel Bank Foundation this winter to continue to provide the fuel voucher and heat fund schemes which are aimed at providing crisis help to those households that have to pay in advance for their energy and are unable to do so. £200,000 of this additional funding has been allocated specifically to support Gypsy Roma Travellers communities. In total this will bring our support for the Fuel Bank Foundation this year (2024/25) to £1.2m.

As part of the additional funding, the Fuel Bank Foundation will build on the success of their Heated Throws campaign to existing Fuel Bank clients, to reduce household heating bills by supporting the individual to keep warm.