Healthy Homes, Healthy People

Procurement reference

WWU1577

Procurement description

The project is being undertaken to alleviate fuel poverty across Wales by providing both crisis assistance and longer-term intervention-led support to vulnerable households.

The project aims to tackle the underlying drivers of fuel poverty, including low incomes, high energy costs and poor energy efficiency, while also increasing awareness of energy efficiency, PSR services and CO safety. It is a core part of delivering WWU's Consumer Vulnerability Strategy, specifically the Fuel Poverty and Energy Affordability priority area, ensuring that the most vulnerable households receive the support they need.

Benefits of the project include:

• Direct support for 14,500 vulnerable households over two years.

• Improved ability for households to meet basic needs and live in safe, warm, energy efficient homes.

• Increased community knowledge, empowerment and resilience through awareness sessions and outreach.

• Delivery of interventions that reduce expenditure, manage fuel debt and improve home energy efficiency.

• Improved access to crisis support, billing support and advocacy.

• Strengthens PAN Wales collaboration with local bodies and health boards.

Wales & West Utilities Limited

WARM WALES - CYMRU GYNNES

Procedure type

Direct award

Description of how these justifications apply

Warm Wales is the only organisation delivering a fully integrated, pan Wales service providing income maximisation, benefit entitlement checks, and holistic energy safeguarding support and triage at national scale. The organisation operates an established Wales wide infrastructure that combines specialist welfare rights and energy advice with coordinated referral and safeguarding pathways, enabling consistent and equitable provision across urban, rural, and hard to reach communities. This delivery model reflects long standing expertise in supporting households at risk of or experiencing fuel poverty or energy affordability challenges and is underpinned by trusted partnerships with statutory, health and community based agencies across Wales.

Warm Wales' service model is technically and operationally distinct, relying on specialist advisors, national coordination and integrated triage processes that cannot be readily replicated by alternative providers without significant duplication, fragmentation of provision or a material reduction in service quality and outcomes. The organisation also operates as part of an established strategic working group of organisations across Wales, with agreed referral protocols and collaborative arrangements that enable effective cross referral and coordination of support. This strategic approach ensures that households are directed to the most appropriate provision based on need, thereby removing duplication of services entirely and maximising the efficient and coordinated use of resources. Warm Wales' role within this working group provides national oversight and triage, enabling complementary rather than overlapping delivery and supporting a coherent, system wide approach to energy safeguarding and income maximisation.

There is no other organisation who can provide the requirements of the scope across Wales.

Direct award justification

Single suppliers technical reasons

Is this procurement under a special regime?

Light touch

Sustainability

Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)