Dr. Tricia Keilthy:

There is a huge gap here in terms of supports and this is where our recommendation on community energy advisers comes in. There is a vital role to be played here because this is a complex and changing area in terms of which tariff works best. What might work best for a higher income household may not be the same as for a lower income household. It can depend on things like health needs, whether people are at home more and so on. It really can vary, so person-to-person advice and support is critical. We do have the one-stop shops but this is about bringing in the totality of the energy needs of a household, making sure people are on the best available tariff, are applying for and getting all of the grants to which they are entitled and are receiving all of their social welfare entitlements. There is a huge gap there. All of those issues are connected. At the moment, organisations like MABS can provide support and suppliers can also give people advice and support but linking all of those key issues and providing a wrap-around service for households is essential. That is the key missing link at the moment.