Electricity North West has partnered with gas network operator, Cadent, the Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service and Lancashire Age UK to encourage residents to be safe when heating homes this winter.

It comes as the rise in the cost of living may see households use alternate methods to heat their home, including gas or open fires, log burners or electric heaters.

Funding from the electricity and gas network operators will support the Fire & Rescue Service and Age UK to raise awareness of the risks of using these appliances, share guidance on how to use them safely, and how to keep them maintained.

The advice includes:

• Gas heaters and fires should be well ventilated, maintained regularly and a carbon monoxide alarm should be placed in the room in case of any functional problems and to keep the household safe and healthy.

• Residents who plan to use open fires and log burners should use fireguards to prevent embers spreading to flammable items, while the chimney should also be swept regularly.

• Electric heaters should be kept in good working order and kept away from flammable materials.

• Outdoor heaters, barbeques, hobs or ovens should not be used to keep a room warm and, if gas-powered, pose a carbon monoxide poisoning risk.

Paul Morris, Partnership and Community Manager at Electricity North West: “We’re pleased to be joining together with Cadent, Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service and Lancashire Age UK to ensure the local community, and especially those in the most vulnerable circumstances, have the support and guidance they need this winter.”

Kirsty McCreesh, Group Manager for Prevention at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service: “It’s really important that we all cope safely with the rise in the cost of living and we don’t put ourselves or our loved ones at risk. Working collaboratively with Electricity North West, Cadent and Age Uk will enable us to encourage people to save safely, be energy efficient and reduce the risk of fire risks in the home.”

Phil Burrows, Head of Customer Vulnerability Social Programme Delivery: “This is a great project, and Cadent are delighted to be part of it. Now more than ever, people require easy access to the support they need to stay safe, independent and warm in their homes. This work will support changes within homes to remain warm and safe, whilst also helping people to become more energy efficient, therefore saving money on energy bills.”

As part of its preparations for winter, Electricity North West is also delivering information leaflets through the doors of all its customers, sharing advice on how to get ready for winter and what to do in the event of a power cut.

That includes signing up for the Extra Care Register, the free priority service which is designed to support people who may need a little extra help during a power outage.

You can sign up for the Extra Care Register by calling 0800 195 4141 or by visiting enwl.co.uk/extracare.

It comes after Electricity North West stated that its portion of electricity bills, which funds maintenance and upgrades to the region’s power network, will fall by at least 5.5% from 2023, despite increasing investment in the network by 33% to £1.8bn over a five-year period.