Birmingham’s Irish community is renowned for its caring and charitable outlook, an approach which stretches right back to the arrival of Irish people to Brum, when a chronic lack of accommodation meant there was a need to provide help.

Back then, volunteers opened a single room in Moat Row to help Irish immigrants avoid the cold, beginning a tradition of charitable support that survives to this day.

This winter, however, many people right across our region will worry about how they are going to keep their own homes warm.

With rising energy bills and the cost-of-living pressures we’re facing in the West Midlands, we need to do all we can to support local residents through the upcoming winter months and beyond.



Did you know that around 15-20 per cent of households across the West Midlands are already deemed to be in fuel poverty? In fact, here in the West Midlands, we have some of the highest rates of fuel poverty in England, second only to the Northwest.

I want to use this column to tell you about an important new service, from Warmer Homes West Midlands, which will provide a support line for those looking to keep their energy costs down whilst staying warm in the coming months.

Warmer Homes West Midlands works with households across the region who are struggling with household heating costs. Their mission is simple: to help people save money on household energy bills, reduce energy use and protect the environment.

Crucially, Warmer Homes West Midlands offers a free service that aims to give personalised energy advice to households.

How does it work? Residents can call a freephone number - 0808 196 8298 - to talk to trusted, impartial advisors who also arrange home visits for more complicated cases.

Community staff can also offer help to residents with their budgeting, explain how they might access grant funding and can supply and install free energy saving measures such as draughtproofing, energy efficient lightbulbs and radiator foils that reflect more heat into the room.

The service is even beginning to train volunteers in local communities as energy champions - so that they can deliver energy advice and support for their own area.

The team at Warmer Homes West Midlands have been working hard during 2022 and have already answered more than 3,000 calls from fuel poor households.

As winter approaches, and residents face the challenges of rising energy costs, the team is ready to help even more people.

If you are worried about energy bills and heating your home, I encourage you to pick up the phone and call the Warmer Homes team on 0808 196 8298 – help is at hand.

Welcome to another Birmingham Irish Association news update

We publish news and project updates keeping you up to date with details regarding our services and events, as well as other local developments and other news that will be of interest to our clients as well as other visitors.