North East Mayor Kim McGuinness is launching a major new free advice service to support families across the region.
The £2.3m North East Warm Homes service is part of a wider £4m initiative that will provide free, trusted guidance to help residents cut their energy bills and keep warm this winter.
Funded by the North East Combined Authority, this service brings together local partners to offer practical solutions - like insulation, heat pumps and solar - making greener choices simple and accessible for every community.
Announcing the initiative, North East Mayor Kim McGuinness, said: “Heating bills are tough, so we’re doing what we can to support families through the winter months. If we want to lift children out of hardship, we must tackle fuel poverty and keep money in hardworking families’ pockets. That’s why we’ll be offering this free advice service, so our communities can reduce their heating bills and live in warm, comfortable homes.
“We’re proud to work with organisations right across the North East to make sure this is delivered in every corner of our region, helping more families to take action and benefit from a fairer, greener future.”
Delivered by Energy Saving Trust, North East Warm Homes is available to residents in all seven local authority areas and includes:
- Free, expert over-the-phone advice from Energy Saving Trust, available now
- In-home visits, delivered in partnership with Groundwork North East and Cumbria and Community Action Northumberland
- End-to-end support for energy efficiency home improvements, in partnership with Warmworks.
North East Warm Homes also provides tailored advice for private tenants and landlords, ensuring more people across the region can access the support they need.
In-home visits provide free, impartial and personalised advice from qualified retrofit coordinators. These visits are designed to help residents identify the best options for improving their home’s energy efficiency and reducing energy costs.
The paid for end-to-end service, delivered by Warmworks, will guide households through every stage of making energy efficiency improvements, from initial assessment to installation, ensuring a smooth, supported process throughout.
Residents and landlords can also access Homewise, a free online tool that creates a personalised energy efficiency report based on property details. In just minutes, it provides tailored recommendations for energy-saving improvements, including estimated costs and potential savings, helping households make informed decisions to reduce energy bills and carbon emissions.
From quick fixes like draughtproofing to bigger upgrades like insulation, heat pumps and solar, North East Warm Homes will guide residents through every step.
To access advice visit northeast-warmhomes.co.uk or call 0808 175 9345 and speak to a local advisor today.