St Edmundsbury is working with partners across Suffolk to tackle winter fuel poverty with a £260,000 grant from the Government's Warm Homes, Healthy People fund with Suffolk's Warm Homes, Healthy People. The cash will be used to fund a number of initiatives, which are subject to eligibility.

A special telephone line, 08456 037 686, has been set up to help to deal with enquiries and can offer, subject to availability:

• Free information, advice and support to anyone struggling to keep warm this winter
• Installation of free community alarms fitted with extreme temperature sensors in vulnerable people's homes, along with a befriending service
• Free temporary heater loan scheme
• Free emergency boiler repairs for vulnerable households through the Age UK "Surviving Winter" Appeal and funding through the Warm Homes project. Groups to benefit will include the over 60's, families on a low income, families with children and young people with learning disabilities
• Free insulation and small energy efficiency improvement jobs, including draught proofing
• Free independent energy surveys in the home to help households struggling to pay their energy bills by offering advice and providing help to install measures to save money and energy
• Road show run by Suffolk Acre to promote their good neighbour and community oil buying schemes.