Hertfordshire Warmer Homes Communications Toolkit

  1. Scheme background
  2. Newsletter articles
  3. Social media – Facebook
  4. Social media – Twitter
  5. Website
  6. Materials
  7. More information
  1. Scheme Background

In late November 2017 all 10 district and borough councils and Hertfordshire County Council are launching a new countywide one-year scheme called Hertfordshire Warmer Homes. This aims to reduce the impact of cold homes on our resident’s health and wellbeing through installation of energy efficiency measures that will improve home energy efficiency. These measures will be free or discounted to vulnerable groups, using funding from the national Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and some local authority contributions. The scheme will run to 31st October 2018.

Cold homes can have a serious impact on health and wellbeing but improved energy efficiency can be an effective strategy to combat this. The scheme particularly wants to target those most vulnerable to the cold not least because they can also be the hardest to reach. Groups include:

  • Those with pre-existing or at risk of developing health conditions linked to the cold – for example, circulatory and respiratory disease, strokes, flu, depression
  • Those at risk of falls
  • Those with a disability especially if this results in spending longer periods at home
  • Those over 75, under 5 or pregnant
  • Those unable to afford to adequately heat their homes because of a low income

As well as to the public, the scheme would also like to promote to health and social care staff, voluntary and community organisations and others as a way of reaching as many clients as possible. An Assessor – resourced by the National Energy Foundation - is in place to coordinate the scheme,work with energy suppliers,and support vulnerable residents through the installation process.HertsHelpis the gateway for referrals.

Eligibility for the scheme is based on income, for example whether a household receives certain benefits, and the resident living in private accommodation (owner-occupied or privately rented). There are variances to this, for example if a resident or member of their household has a certain health condition, so we are encouraging everyone interested to refer soHertsHelp or the Assessor can review eligibility. Even if the applicant is not successful, there may still be information and support around keeping warm and well available to them via HertsHelp.

Due to the arrangements with energy suppliers, only certain energy efficiency measures will be available free of charge or discounted. These include:

  • Loft and cavity wall insulation
  • Draft stripping (only if alongside insulation)
  • Some grants towards boilers
  • Heating and hot water repairs
  • Switching advice

Some measures may also be offered to non-vulnerable groups but with a larger charge.

The following guidance has a winter focus. This will be updated next year.

  1. Sample Newsletter articles

PUBLIC VERSION

Hertfordshire Warmer Homes Scheme

A new scheme has been launched for those needing extra help to stay warm in their homes.

The Hertfordshire Warmer Homes scheme offers free or discounted energy efficiency improvements, such as loft or cavity insulation and heating repairs, to eligible households. Run in partnership between the district and borough councils and Hertfordshire County Council, these improvements could make your home both easier and cheaper to heat.

The World Health Organisation recommends that a safe indoor temperature for your home is 21°C (70°F) during the day and 18°C (64°F) at night particularly if you are over 75,have young children or havea long-term health condition. Cold temperatures can have a serious impact on your health and are linked to a number of health conditions including respiratory disease, strokes, falls and flu.However we also know that for some people the concern about the cost of heating their home is very real.

It’s good to know that the Hertfordshire Warmer Homesscheme is available to help keep homes warm when temperatures drop.

For further details, including checking eligibility, contact HertsHelp on 0300 123 4044 (local rate) or . You can also visit

PROFESSIONAL VERSION

Hertfordshire Warmer Homes Scheme

A new scheme has been launched for those needing extra help to stay warm in their homes.

The countywide Hertfordshire Warmer Homes scheme offers free or discounted energy efficiency improvements, such as loft or cavity insulationand heating repairs, to eligible households. Run in partnership between the district and borough councils and Hertfordshire County Council, this means making homesboth easier and cheaper to heat.

The World Health Organisation recommends that a safe indoor temperature is 21°C (70°F) during the day and 18°C (64°F) at night. Cold temperatures can have a serious impact on health. Linked to poorer health including respiratory and circulatory disease, strokes, falls and depression, excess cold is estimated to cost the NHS £848million a year. Those over 75, under 5 and with long-term health conditions can be particularly vulnerable. We know also that for some people concerns about the cost of heating their home are very real.

With an Assessor in place to coordinate referrals and support clients through the installation process, it’s good to know the Hertfordshire Warmer Homesscheme is available to help keep homes warm when temperatures drop.

Do you know someone who might benefit from the scheme? For further details including checking eligibility, contact HertsHelp, or ask the resident to do so, on 0300 123 4044 (local rate) or .

Further information on the scheme and the impact of cold homes is also available on the Health in Herts pages – search ‘Hertfordshire Warmer Homes – Professionals’.

  1. Social media – Facebook

We will be running Facebook ads every 1-2 weeks targeted at general Hertfordshire residentsand health, social care and other professionals to encourage them to contact HertsHelp for themselves or a client. Examples are:

Don’t be left out in the cold– free or discounted energy efficiency measures for eligible households

With temperatures dropping, it’s good to know the Hertfordshire Warmer Homes scheme can help you and your household stay warm this winter.

Hertfordshire Warmer Homes offers free or discounted energy efficiency improvements such as loft insulation to eligible households that could make your home easier and cheaper to heat. Contact HertsHelp on0300 123 4044 (local rate) or to find out more.

Managing your energy bills can be hard but Hertfordshire Warmer Homes is here to help

With rising energy costs, keeping on top of energy bills can be a challenge particular when temperatures drop. However theHertfordshire Warmer Homes scheme is offering free or discounted energy efficiency improvements such as loft insulation or heating repair to eligible householdswhich could makes homes easier and cheaper to heat.

Contact HertsHelp on0300 123 4044 (local rate) or to find out more.

A healthy home means a healthy you!

Did you know your housing can have a big impact on your health? It is especially important to keep your home at a healthy temperature. The World Health Organisation recommends temperatures of 21°C (70°F) during the day and 18°C (64°F) at night for older people, young children and those with a long-term health condition.

Help keep yours warm with the Hertfordshire Warmer Homes scheme offering free or discounted energy improvements such as loft insulation to eligible households. Contact HertsHelp on0300 123 4044 (local rate) or to find out more.

Do you have a young family, have a long-term health condition or are over 75? Know someone who does? Make sure you keep warm this winter.

Cold homes can affect anyone but older people, children under 5 and those with long-term health conditions can be especially vulnerable.

The Hertfordshire Warmer Homes scheme is offering free or discounted energy improvements to eligible households such as loft insulation or heating repair which could make your home easier and cheaper to heat. Contact HertsHelp today on0300 123 4044 (local rate) or to find out more.

Calling health and care professionals to help residents keep warm this winter

Cold homes can affect anyone but can have a particular impact on older people, young families, those with a long-term health condition or who have a low income.

The Hertfordshire Warmer Homes scheme is here to help. A partnership between District and Borough Councils and Hertfordshire County Council, it offers free or discounted energy efficiency improvements such as loft insulation or heating repair to eligible households. Know someone who could benefit? Contact HertsHelp today on0300 123 4044 (local rate) or for more information.

  1. Social media – Twitter

Hertfordshire County Council will be regularly tweeting so it would be great if you could retweet our messages if you see them. It would be great if you could tweet about the scheme too. We will be using #hertswarmerhomes. Examples are:

Text / Link
Winter is coming – get ready with Hertfordshire Warmer Homes which is offering energy improvements for eligible households. Find out more WEBLINK /
Don’t be left out in the cold. Hertfordshire Warmer Homes is offering energy home improvements to eligible households. Find out more WEBLINK /
Calling all health and care professionals – help residents keep warm this winter with better energy efficiency. Find out more WEBLINK /
Energy bills hard to manage? Hertfordshire Warmer Homes can improve your energy efficiency. Find out more WEBLINK /
A cold snap might be forecast this week but that’s no reason to be left out in the cold - find out about Hertfordshire Warmer Homes WEBLINK /
Did you know staying warm is particularly important for older people, young families and those with long-term health conditions? Find out about support WEBLINK /
Better home energy efficiency reduces carbon emissions too – find out more about the Hertfordshire Warmer Homes scheme WEBLINK /
Home heating could do with improvement but not sure how? Find out more about the Hertfordshire Warmer Homes scheme WEBLINK /
  1. Website

We have developed two webpages – one public and one professional - for the Hertfordshire Warmer Homes scheme. The public page can also be accessed via the Hertfordshire Winter Health campaign page (

  1. Hertfordshire Warmer Homes Scheme – Public Page (Health in Herts public pages) This provides further information on the scheme to members of the public, e.g residents, household members, friends, family, carers, etc.
  1. Hertfordshire Warmer Homes Scheme – Professional Page (Health in Herts professional pages) (a shortened Bitly address is available for social media: – This is aimed at health, social care and other professionals who may come into contact with individuals or household members that could benefit from HWH. As well as information on the scheme and hosting the Campaign Toolkit, the page also gives further information on the health impact of cold homes.
  1. Materials

We have a range of electronic materials available for partners to use or print to support the scheme. These are accessible on the webpage alongside this toolkit within the Herts Warmer Homes professionals page.

Case studies and other materials will be added as available.

  1. More information

For further details about communications for the scheme contact