Act On Energy
Charity 1075679
Overview
Summary
Act On Energy appears to operate as a regional energy-advice charity that connects household support, retrofit delivery and professional services. Its role extends beyond information provision: it seems to translate public funding, technical requirements and energy-policy goals into practical help for residents, particularly those facing high bills, poor housing conditions or vulnerability. Its combination of impartial advice, grant support, referrals, education and commissioned schemes suggests it is an intermediary between communities, local authorities, funders and delivery contractors.
Operational geography
Coverage: Regional
Operational areas:
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
City Centre
Confidence: high
Direct evidence identifies a Birmingham Office, supporting a physical operational presence in Birmingham rather than relying on the charity's registered Warwickshire address.
- Act on Energy, Contact Us
Lists a 'Birmingham Office' in Birmingham.
Bromford and Hodge Hill
Confidence: moderate
Direct evidence shows Bromford as a priority area for the currently open Birmingham Warm Homes: Local Grant, which Act on Energy says it delivers with the West Midlands Combined Authority through local councils. This supports activity in the named priority area, although the evidence does not specify ward boundaries.
- Act on Energy, Birmingham Warm Homes: Local Grant
States that the West Midlands Combined Authority is working with Act on Energy to deliver the grant through local councils, and lists Bromford among the scheme's priority areas.
Castle Vale
Confidence: high
Direct evidence names Castle Vale as a priority area for a live Birmingham grant delivered by Act on Energy in partnership with the West Midlands Combined Authority and local councils.
- Act on Energy, Birmingham Warm Homes: Local Grant
Lists Castle Vale among the priority areas for the open grant scheme and states that Act on Energy is involved in delivery.
Sparkbrook and Balsall Heath East
Confidence: moderate
Direct evidence names Sparkbrook as a priority area for a live Birmingham grant delivered by Act on Energy. This supports activity in the named priority area, although the evidence does not specify ward boundaries.
- Act on Energy, Birmingham Warm Homes: Local Grant
Lists Sparkbrook among the priority areas for the open grant scheme delivered with Act on Energy.
Tyseley and Hay Mills
Confidence: high
Direct evidence names Tyseley and Hay Mills as a priority area for a live Birmingham grant delivered by Act on Energy. This exactly matches the supplied ward name.
- Act on Energy, Birmingham Warm Homes: Local Grant
Lists Tyseley and Hay Mills among the priority areas for the open grant scheme delivered with Act on Energy.
Remaining uncertainties
- Act on Energy directly states that it provides advice, outreach, home visits, small energy-efficiency installations and grant support to Birmingham residents. This is strong evidence of a citywide service offer, but the available material does not identify the volume, frequency or take-up of activity in each Birmingham ward.
- Balsall Heath is listed as a Birmingham Warm Homes: Local Grant priority area, but it does not map cleanly to one supplied ward identifier because the recognised area may span Balsall Heath West and Sparkbrook and Balsall Heath East. It has therefore not been assigned to a ward.
- The available evidence establishes that the West Midlands Combined Authority and local councils materially extend Act on Energy's Birmingham delivery through the Warm Homes grant, but it does not specify each participating Birmingham council team, referral partner or delivery location.
- The Birmingham office is clearly a physical office, but the evidence does not establish whether it provides walk-in public services or is principally an administrative and staff base.
Additional evidence needed
- A current Birmingham service-delivery or impact report showing referrals, advice cases, home visits, installations or grant completions by ward or area.
- Current programme documentation from Birmingham City Council or the West Midlands Combined Authority confirming the precise local authority partnership and the geographic boundaries of the Birmingham Warm Homes: Local Grant priority areas.
- Confirmation from Act on Energy of whether its Birmingham office provides public-facing appointments, outreach coordination only, or both.
Areas of work
- Environment/conservation/heritage
- The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
Who they help
- Other Defined Groups
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Provides Advocacy/advice/information
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A bridge between residents and the retrofit system
The available evidence suggests Act On Energy helps residents navigate a system that can otherwise be difficult to access, including eligibility, benefits, grant applications, repairs and energy-efficiency upgrades.
Why it matters
This indicates that its value may lie not only in technical energy advice, but in reducing the administrative and confidence barriers that prevent households from securing support.
Show evidence
“It offers free, impartial energy advice and help with applying for grants and funding for energy-efficiency measures.”
Source:Organisation“Customer testimonials refer to benefit checks, form filling, repairs and funding.”
Source:Organisation
A place-based delivery partner rather than only a public-facing charity
Act On Energy appears to have an operating model that combines direct resident support with delivery and management of energy-efficiency schemes on behalf of other organisations.
Why it matters
This helps explain how it may influence local energy outcomes at scale: through both individual advice and institutional partnerships, rather than relying solely on one-to-one services.
Show evidence
“It devises and manages schemes on behalf of others to promote energy-efficiency measures and seeks supporting funding.”
Source:Charity Commission“It provides consultancy and training services for organisations of all sizes.”
Source:Organisation
Fuel poverty and decarbonisation are treated as connected problems
The organisation appears to frame energy efficiency as both environmental action and poverty relief, rather than treating climate and social welfare as separate agendas.
Why it matters
This may make Act On Energy a potentially important connector between environmental organisations, public-health partners, welfare advisers and housing or retrofit programmes.
Show evidence
“Its objects include energy conservation, environmental conservation, renewable energy and relief of poverty through energy-efficiency information and advice.”
Source:Charity Commission“It promotes support for rising energy bills, energy-efficiency grants and home upgrades.”
Source:Organisation
- The scale, funding mix and relative importance of advice, retrofit delivery and professional services are not known.
- There is no direct evidence of which partners commission services, refer residents or deliver installations.
- The evidence does not show whether support reaches communities with the greatest fuel-poverty risk across its service area.
Remaining uncertainties
- Annual reports or impact data showing households supported, measures installed, funding secured and geographic distribution.
- Information on commissioners, referral partners, contractors and community organisations involved in delivery.
- Evidence on beneficiary characteristics, unmet demand and outcomes such as warmth, affordability, health or carbon reduction.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
Provision of free and impartial advice on energy efficiency to the general public; Promote the relief of fuel poverty; Deliver educational programmes in schools and colleges; Devise and manage schemes on behalf of others to promote energy efficiency measures and seek supporting funding; Work with charities, voluntary bodies, statutory authorities and others
Charity objects
A) ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC IN ENERGY CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY B) PROMOTE TO THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC THE CONSERVATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH THE PROMOTION OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY C) THE RELIEF OF POVERTY BY THE PROVISION OF INFORMATION AND ADVICE RELATING TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY D) CONDUCT RESEARCH RELATING TO THE UTILISATION OF ENERGY CONSERVATION PRACTICES AND TECHNOLOGIES AND TO MAKE AVAILABLE THE USEFUL RESULTS OF SUCH RESEARCH TO THE PUBLIC