Peter originally trained as an architectural technician and soon discovered a deep-rooted passion for low-energy design in buildings. Back then, that meant championing cavity wall insulation, a far cry from the more advanced energy solutions we see today. But Peter’s commitment to driving change in how buildings use energy has never wavered, and he’s loved watching the message of sustainable design spread far and wide.
Peter travelled across the country conducting building condition surveys, assessing nursing homes, promoting energy efficiency grants, and fielding calls to offer energy efficiency advice and support. His experience working for local councils grounded his approach in practical solutions for local communities.
In 2001, Peter stepped into the role of CEO at Energy Projects Plus. Since then, the organisation has grown significantly: expanding its reach, relocating twice, and constantly adapting to meet the changing needs of the communities we serve. Under Peter’s leadership, Energy Projects Plus has become a respected and trusted voice in the fight against fuel poverty and in the promotion of home energy efficiency and sustainable living across Merseyside and Cheshire.
Thanks to Peter’s vision and determination (including graduating in 2012 with a BSc (Hons) Environmental Studies through the Open University), we’ve helped hundreds of thousands of people save energy, cut costs, and reduce their carbon footprint. And while so much has changed in the energy landscape over the last 25 years, our mission remains the same: to empower people with the knowledge, resources, and support they need to live more energy-efficient lives.
A message from David Pye, Trustee at Energy Projects Plus:
“It’s 25 years ago that Peter joined Energy Projects Plus, and on becoming CEO he has worked tirelessly to expand the range of activities performed by Energy Projects Plus to make it the highly respected charity it is today. Peter sought out various sources of new funding, oversaw moving premises twice and introduced innovative ways to promote energy efficiency throughout Merseyside and Cheshire. The trustees and staff are thankful and tremendously proud of all he has achieved.”
Here’s to 25 years of dedicated leadership and 25 more to go!
Thank you, Peter from everyone here at Energy Projects Plus!
Eligible households encouraged to check they are named on their electricity bill to automatically benefit from the Warm Home Discount this winter.
- Government issues reminder to those on eligible means-tested benefits to check they are named on their electricity bill to get £150 off this winter
- This will help ensure people automatically receive the discount from their energy supplier, putting more money in their pockets under the Plan for Change
- Follows the extension of the Warm Home Discount, meaning an extra 2.7 million households will qualify this winter
Millions are set to save £150 on their electricity bills this winter, as the government urges eligible households to check they are named on their bill to get the discount automatically – helping ease the cost of living under the Plan for Change.
Every household where the billpayer receives an eligible means-tested benefit will now be in line for the discount, after the government removed restrictions that previously excluded many who needed help with bills.
In England and Wales, this means households in receipt of Housing Benefit, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Pension Credit and Universal Credit will now be eligible.
This takes the number of households set to benefit from the Warm Home Discount to over 6 million – an increase of 2.7 million households, including 900,000 more families with children.
The government is now issuing a call to eligible households to check they are named on their electricity bill, with suppliers set to rely on customers’ records as of Sunday, 24 August.
Someone might not be named on their electricity bill if they have recently moved house and changed supplier.
Having the eligible person named on the electricity bill will help make sure households receive the £150 discount automatically.
Last winter, 96% of eligible households received their discount automatically through this route, making it the easiest and quickest way for the overwhelming majority of households.
Minister for Energy Consumers, Miatta Fahnbulleh, said:
We took decisive action earlier this year to expand the Warm Home Discount, giving more working families certainty and peace of mind before winter.
I now want to make sure as many eligible households as possible get £150 off their energy bill, putting more money in their pockets as part of our Plan for Change.
If you know someone who might be eligible – please start spreading the word to family and friends, encouraging them to check they are named on their energy bill.
Eligible customers on pre-payment meters who use a key or card to top up will also need to ensure that their household’s account is registered in their name.
If you’re in receipt of a means tested benefit, but unsure about your energy account details, contact your energy supplier without delay, so you don’t potentially miss out on this £150 payment.
People who could qualify for winter fuel payments from the government have been warned by police about a rising number of scams.
Det Sgt John Causton, from Merseyside Police’s economic crime team, said 45 of the 75 reports his force had received since June 2024 about attempted cons had come during the last two months.
Fortunately, he said nobody who had approached police after receiving suspicious emails or text messages had been duped into losing money.
But he added: “What we are concerned about is the people who may not have reported it and who may have been victims.”
‘Exploiting uncertainty’
Det Sgt Causton said criminals were sending texts and emails as well as phoning people while “pretending to be from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), asking for personal information”.
He said the DWP never operated this way and had only contacted people via letter between October and November to confirm they were automatically eligible for the payments.
Describing the scammers as “very convincing”, the senior detective warned that anyone clicking on a link or phoning a bogus number would be putting themselves in “financial risk”.
Merseyside Police said the spike in fraud attempts “appears timed to coincide with the government’s recent changes to winter fuel payment eligibility criteria”.
A force spokesman added: “Fraudsters are exploiting this period of transition and public uncertainty about the changes to target vulnerable individuals, particularly older residents.”
You could get free energy saving improvements made to your home if you’re on a low income, getting certain benefits or living in a certain postcode area.
What you can get
If you’re eligible and your local council has funding available, they will arrange a home survey to see how your home could be made more energy efficient. They might suggest improvements like installing:
- wall, loft and underfloor insulation
- air source heat pumps
- smart controls
- solar panels
Your local council will then organise and pay for any improvement work they’ve agreed with you. You will not need to pay for it.
If you have a landlord, they may need to pay for some of the improvements. (Typically, private landlords can receive free improvements for one tenanted property, then they will need to pay 50% of the cost for improving more properties in their portfolio. Social landlords have their own scheme, separate to Warm Homes: Local Grant.)
Eligibility
To be eligible, your home must:
- Be in England
- Be privately owned (either by you or your landlord)
- Have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of D, E, F or G – if you do not know your home’s EPC, you can search for it here: https://www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate
Your household income must usually be £36,000 a year or less. If you earn more than that, you might still be eligible if either:
- You live in a certain postcode area (if your postcode is in “IMD Decile” 1 or 2 on this lookup table)
- Someone in your household is in receipt of certain, means-tested benefits
How to find out more, and apply
Our friendly team of Energy Advisors will be happy to provide support either over the telephone, or in your home.
We can provide your home with an energy assessment, to determine whether the Warm Home: Local Grant is the right scheme to help you. There could be other schemes that are better suited to provide you with free home improvements, e.g. the Energy Company Obligation, the Great British Energy Scheme, and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. We know the schemes, so you don’t have to!
Call our Save Energy Advice Line free on 0800 043 0151, or email the team at advice@epplus.org to find out more about the grant, or for assistance in applying. Lines are open 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday, apart from Bank Holidays, and the 3 working days between Christmas and New Year.
You can also submit a self-referral form to us, by clicking the button below:
OFGEM is planning to introduce new smart meter rules from early 2026, which would provide customers with stronger rights and automatic compensation if suppliers fail to deliver installations or repairs promptly.
OFGEM has proposed 4 new rules, which would mean consumers facing delays or faults would receive automatic compensation.
Proposed new rules include:
- Compensation if installation takes more than 6 weeks.
- Compensation for failed installations due to supplier faults.
- A requirement for suppliers to provide a resolution plan within 5 working days when a problem is reported.
- Compensation if a smart meter isn’t fixed within 90 days when not operating in “smart mode.”
The changes will also cover wider connectivity issues, enhanced protections for households and extend to microbusinesses who will benefit from improved smart meter rights. Suppliers that don’t meet these standards will have to pay affected customers automatically (currently set at £40 per failure).
This move follows OFGEM’s compliance work over the past year, which has seen over 600,000 faulty smart meters repaired or replaced.
The aim is to improve customer experience, speed up installations and repairs, and rebuild public trust in smart meters, which already operate in 66% of British homes.
You can read the full press release from Ofgem on their website.
What to Do if Your Smart Meter Isn’t Working
If your smart meter is faulty, showing incorrect readings, or not sending data to your supplier:
- Contact your energy supplier straight away
- Explain the problem clearly.
- Ask for a clear resolution plan and timeframe.
- Keep manual meter readings
- Give these to your supplier to make sure your bills stay accurate.
- Know your rights
- If your supplier misses deadlines for fixing the fault (including making and keeping appointments, investigating and fixing/replacing credit or prepayment meter faults or switching supplier within five working days) you may be entitled to £40 automatic compensation under the Guaranteed Standards of Performance.
- Keep records
- Note the date you reported the fault, who you spoke to, and any reference numbers.
- Escalate if needed
- If the problem isn’t fixed within 8 weeks, you can take the issue to the Energy Ombudsman for free
Following our article last month, about how we’re delivering services for residents in Halton and Sefton, via their Household Support Funds, we’re delighted to be able to update you with our funded activities in Wirral, this year:
“Direct Debit Support”
- Financial support to help residents who don’t use prepay meters, and therefore can’t take advantage of fuel vouchers designed to support people at risk of self-disconnection.
- Residents can pay by any other means, e.g. Standing Order, Budgeting Card, or cash.
- Residents must be low-income and vulnerable to the impact of living in a cold home.
- Upon successful application, a payment will be made directly to the resident’s energy supplier, to be credited to their account.
- The value of payments is the equivalent of one month’s worth of energy payments.
Fuel debt relief
- Residents must be low-income and vulnerable to the impact of living in a cold home.
- Upon successful application, a payment will be made directly to the resident’s energy supplier, to be credited to their account.
- The value of payments will either fully or partly cover the balance outstanding.
- Residents must be able to cover their ongoing energy costs.
Heating repair/replacement
- To support residents who have no other recourse to financial assistance to help with the repair or replacement of their primary heating appliance.
- Residents must be in a “no-heat situation” (i.e. without support would be living in a cold home with no means to keep warm).
- Residents must be on a low-income and vulnerable to the impacts of living in a cold home.
- Upon successful application, Energy Projects Plus will support the resident to obtain a quote for necessary works, and offer a financial contribution, which could fully or part-pay for the works to be carried out.
- All payments will be made directly to a Gas Safe Registered heating contractor, upon satisfactory completion of works.
You can refer yourself, or a client, to us for the above support items, and anything else to do with lowering energy costs, via our secure, online referral forms, here: www.epplus.org.uk/referrals
To speak directly to one of our friendly Energy Advisors, you can call our Save Energy Advice Line free on 0800 043 0151, or you can email your query to advice@epplus.org. Lines are open 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday, except for Bank Holidays.
To read the full list of services available through Wirral Council’s Household Support Fund, you can read more here: https://www.wirral.gov.uk/benefits-and-money/household-support-fund
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Our advice team joined around 200 other organisations at the 34th annual Disability Awareness Day (DAD) held at Warrington’s Walton Hall and Gardens. Organised by Warrington Disability Partnership, DAD welcomed 1000’s of visitors from across North West England, and was focussed on promoting a “Can Do” culture – something our team was keen to support. Throughout the day, we provided advice on a wide range of topics, including:
We also promoted our talks to support groups, and the community advice sessions we can offer across Merseyside and Cheshire. Our Chief Executive, Peter Owen, said:
If you’d like an Energy Advisor to attend your event, and run an advice stall, get in touch at events@epplus.org and we’ll happily check our diary for you.
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A stark reminder that many homes are far from healthy or modern
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We were so pleased to be part of the launch of a brand-new Community Advice Hub in Birkenhead, which is already making a difference to local residents!
Located just opposite McDonald’s, on the corner of Oxton Road and Grange Road West, the hub is a lifeline for anyone needing free, face-to-face support on money matters from benefits and debt to energy bills and more.
Location: One Wirral CIC, Birkenhead, Wirral, CH41 2QJ
Open every Thursday: 9:30am – 12:30pm
This welcoming drop-in service brings together trusted local organisations from across the Wirral, including:
• Citizens Advice Wirral
• Energy Projects Plus
• Wirral Change
• Christians Against Poverty
Set up by Wirral Foodbank’s Community Campaigning team, the hub is part of a wider effort to tackle poverty locally. By offering a visible and accessible space for support, it helps residents get advice before financial struggles escalate into crisis.
Fuel poverty remains a significant issue across the UK. In England alone, 3.17 million households are currently in fuel poverty, with many more at risk as energy prices and the overall cost of living continue to rise.
By being at the hub, we’re helping people take control of their energy use, understand their bills, and make their homes more energy efficient. We also provide support in accessing vital funding and grants whether that’s fuel vouchers, energy debt relief, or insulation schemes. We’re here to make sure no one has to face energy worries alone.
At Energy Projects Plus, we’ve already seen the difference it’s making. On average, we’re supporting six new clients every session, many of whom may not have known about the help available to them.
At a recent session at the hub, Katie supported a local resident who had been signposted by the Job Centre. The gentleman, who is deaf, was struggling to access the support he needed, unable to use the phone or navigate online services.
Katie helped him call United Utilities to request a water meter. Because he lives alone, it’s estimated this could save him up to £540 per year on his water bills. She also explained his communication needs to the supplier, ensuring all future contact, including engineer appointments would be made via text.
The client said he wouldn’t have been able to do this without the hub’s support. It’s a powerful reminder of how small, in-person actions can have a big impact, especially for people facing barriers to accessing services
We’re proud to be part of this collaborative effort to tackle fuel poverty across Wirral, and we look forward to continuing our weekly support for the Birkenhead community.
If you would like one of our friendly Energy Advisors to deliver an advice stall, or community talk, at your event, contact us at events@epplus.org.
A brand-new Community Advice Hub is opening in the heart of Birkenhead to offer free, face-to-face support on money matters – from benefits and debt to energy bills and more.
Location:
One Wirral CIC, opposite McDonald’s on the corner of Oxton Road and Grange Road West, Birkenhead, CH41 2QJ
Open Every Thursday: 9:30am – 12:30pm
Launch Day: Thursday 3rd July, with Wirral Mayor Cllr Brian Kenny and local councillors in attendance
What is the Community Advice Hub?
Set up by Wirral Foodbank’s Community Campaigning team, the hub is part of a wider effort to tackle poverty at a local level by making it easier for people to access the advice and support they need. It’s a welcoming drop-in service designed to help residents get information, advice, and practical support – before money worries turn into crisis.
Who will be there to help?
The hub brings together trusted local organisations:
- Citizens Advice Wirral
- Energy Projects Plus
- Wirral Change
- CAP Wirral
- Community Connectors from Involve Northwest
Whether you’re struggling with debt, confused about a high bill, affected by changes to Universal Credit, or just not sure where to turn – you can pop in for a free, confidential, and non-judgemental chat with a trained adviser.
Why it matters:
This service is aimed at giving people access to life-changing advice before issues spiral into crisis. For example. at Wirral Foodbank’s Foodbank Plus service, delivered by Citizens Advice Wirral on behalf of Wirral Foodbank, offers advice and support to people who have used the foodbank and often successfully results in people not having to return to the foodbank. Therefore, we know this approach works and now we want to have that offer to people further upstream so that they can access advice and support in a comfortable environment before it reaches crisis point.
No appointment needed – just drop in.
The hub is open to anyone living on the Wirral who would benefit from friendly, face-to-face advice and support.