A project that aims to make sure hospital patients don’t go back to the cold or damp homes that made them ill has been awarded thousands of pounds.

HEET – Home Energy Efficiency Training - has received almost £20,000 from UK Power Networks, the UK’s biggest electricity distributor, as part of the company’s Power Partners awards.

The money will be used to help an estimated 1,000 residents in the Waltham Forest area who are suffering from problems due to the cold – such as cardiovascular, respiratory, falls and sickle cell disease.

Tom Ruxton, the charity’s co-ordinator, said: "HEET is delighted to receive the support of UK Power Networks. Cold homes are a bigger killer in the UK than road accidents, alcohol or drug abuse according to the charity National Energy Action.

"GPs and hospitals do what they can to treat the effects of cold homes but patients will be constantly re-admitted if the cause of their illness is not treated. This is what a UK Power Networks grant enables HEET to do."

The idea of the project is to reach out to those in vulnerable circumstances and asses those who are at risk. If so, they will be offered a Home Energy Check which will lead to energy efficiency and heating measures being installed in their homes.

This comes as part of a project set up in 2016 to help people return to home from hospital safely, who otherwise might have to stay in hospital because their homes were too cold - a problem known as 'bed blocking’.

HEET also has a commission from Waltham Forest Clinical Commissioning Group to fund their project alongside its Power Partners grant.

Power Partners community investment fund aims to support organisations that work to alleviate fuel poverty, support people in vulnerable circumstances and make community buildings warmer and cheaper to heat.