In May 2004 Southampton City Council’s Fuel Poverty and Health Strategy was produced in response to the Southampton City Energy Summit 2003. It provided details of how Public Health in partnership with other agencies, would address fuel poverty in Southampton. As part of the action plan a multi-agency group was formed called Southampton Warmth for All Partnership (SWAP). SWAP is chaired by a Consultant in Public Health.
Aims and Objectives
Over the past 15 years SWAP has been working to:
Reduce health inequalities associated with fuel poverty
Reduce the number of deaths caused by cold homes
Improve the quality of life of people living in fuel poverty.
Accountability of the partnership is to member organisations and the Southampton Health and Wellbeing Board.
What we do
In order to achieve this we work collaboratively to:
Raise awareness and understanding of the impact of fuel poverty
Secure funding to deliver practical projects
Raise the profile of Southampton work and promote good practice to others
Influence government policy on home energy efficiency and fuel poverty matters
Promote Making Every Contact Count as a new approach to address health and wellbeing
Participate in public health campaigns e.g. “Keep Warm, Keep Well”, Flu immunisation