Another successful year, but challenges ahead
We were able to have our AGM in person on 7 September for the first time in three years.
Board Chair Simon Leslie said “when I spoke last year, we were all looking forward to the general lifting of restrictions. We were thinking about reopening our offices. Little did we know the effects of
Omicron! So it wasn’t until this May that we reopened the doors to our office and our splendid new community space.”
“We’ve been busy working with our contractors to get our services back to where they should be. We are still not quite there yet. You’ll see this reflected in the performance report sent to all our tenants recently.”
“On a more positive note, it’s great to see our new build developments taking shape including north east Troon (right).”
“Growing inflation is a real challenge. We have focused on managing rising costs while keeping rents as low as possible. We’ve done well over the years to minimise rent increases. You will have heard the Scottish Government’s proposals for a rent freeze. We don’t know if this will apply next April when our rents normally go up. If it does, it’s a real concern because we will have to cut back on services and planned work like kitchen and bathroom renewals.”
“We’re focused on developing services which help both our tenants and the wider community as we emerge from Covid to a cost of living crisis. Working in partnership with the Riverside Community Trust and SeAscape, we secured £100,000 to work with their clients and our tenants to provide a range of support services. We also received funding for much needed fuel vouchers.”
“It’s been great over the last few months to at last see the benefit of our new community space The Local (left). It’s already been used by more than a dozen groups and advice services. We’ve had great feedback from all these groups both about the facilities and our helpful reception team.”
Two new tenants have joined our Board this year. They are Suzi Williamson (right) and Marcus Tindal (far right).
Win a family ticket to the Panto!
We have teamed up with the Gaiety theatre (our neighbours when our latest development in Ayr’s town centre is complete), to launch a competition to find a name for the brand new flats. Ideally, the chosen name will have a link to the theatre, maybe with a nod of the head to its 120 year history in Ayr. By entering you will not only have the opportunity of your name being shortlisted (and perhaps chosen as our winner!), but you will also be in with the chance to win tickets for a family of four to Sleeping Beauty.
To enter send your suggested name to the competition on your My Home portal, email us: info@ayrshirehousing.org.uk or message us through our Facebook Page. Remember to include your name, address and contact details. Closing date is Friday 25 November 2022.
If you have a good neighbour we want to hear to about them. We are introducing our Good Neighbour Award and would like our tenants to nominate a neighbour who deserves some recognition. Do they nip out to the shop for you, take your bins in and out, go over and above to keep the neighbourhood tidy or are they just a good friend? If you would like to nominate someone please let us know. Everyone needs good neighbours and we would like to hear about yours. Nominations can be made by telephone on 01292 880120 or by email: info@ayrshirehousing.org.uk or by letting your Housing Officer know. The winner will receive a £50 gift voucher for being a good neighbour and going the extra mile!!
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Grants and Benefits to help you pay your energy bills
If you’re struggling to afford your energy bills, you might be able to take advantage of certain benefits, grants and help offered by the UK government, the Scottish government and energy suppliers (information correct at November 2022).
Get a one off payment from the government
The government will give every household in Great Britain £400 off their electricity bill. This is called the Energy Bills Support Scheme. You don’t need to do anything to get the money and you won’t have to pay it back. The £400 will be automatically added to your energy account over 6 months starting from October 2022. If you have a prepayment meter, the £400 will be added to your meter or you’ll be given vouchers the government will confirm how you'll get the money nearer the time.
Winter Fuel Payment for people born before 26 September 1956
The Winter Fuel Payment is a payment to help you pay your heating bills during the winter. You'll get a Winter Fuel Payment automatically you don't need to apply if all of the following apply and you were born before 26th September 1956:
you get the State Pension or another benefit but not Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit or Universal Credit
you lived in the UK for at least 1 day during the 'qualifying week'.
Low income Winter Heating Assistance starts in February 2023
Low Income Winter Heating Assistance is replacing the Cold Weather Payment in Scotland. It's a payment of £50 once a year to help with your energy bills in winter. This starts in February 2023. You might get Winter Heating Assistance if you get:
Pension Credit
Income Support
Income based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income related Employment and Support Allowance
Universal Credit
Support for Mortgage Interest.
You won't need to apply for Winter Heating Assistance. You'll get a payment automatically if you're eligible.
Child Winter Heating Assistance
Child Winter Heating Assistance is a payment of £214.10. It's paid automatically and once a year to parents and carers to help with household costs for disabled children and young people under 19.
Home Heating Support Fund
The Home Heating Support Fund provides financial support for people in Scotland who are at risk of limiting their own energy usage because of significant financial hardship. The fund is available to energy customers using any type of fuel or payment method. To apply to the fund, you must have received energy or money advice from an accredited agency. Registered referral partners can apply on your behalf. You can also apply by phoning Advice Direct Scotland free on 0808 800 9060.
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Warm Home Discount Scheme
You could get £150 off your electricity bill for this winter under the Warm Home Discount Scheme. The money is not paid to you it’s a one off discount on your electricity bill, between October 2022 and March 2023. There is a separate Warm Home Discount scheme in Scotland. The Government will write to eligible households who are in receipt of Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, while other low income households should check with their energy supplier how they may apply.
Grants from providers to help pay off your energy debts
If you’re in debt to your energy supplier, you might be able to get a grant from a charitable trust to help pay it off. The following energy suppliers offer grants to their customers:
Scottish Power Hardship Fund
Ovo Energy Fund
E.ON Energy Fund
E.ON Next Energy Fund
EDF Energy Customer Support Fund
If you can’t get a grant from your supplier, check if you can get a grant from the British Gas Energy Trust. These grants are available to anyone Gas customer.
Extra help from your supplier
You might be able to get extra help and support from your energy supplier by signing up to the Priority Services Register. You can sign up if you’re a pensioner, disabled or sick, or if your energy network considers you 'vulnerable'.
If you require energy advice and assistance you can phone Home Energy Scotland free on 0808 808 2282.
Last month we were successful in securing £54,000 of funding through the Social Housing Fuel Support Fund to provide ‘winter packs’ to tenants who are struggling with the rising costs of gas and electricity.
There has been an overwhelming demand for the packs following a post on our Facebook page. We have had to close applications for the time being to allow our teams to process existing orders. We have an order in for the items within the pack so we will update tenants via My Home and Facebook as soon as the items are available for collection.
We want to ensure that as many tenants who need these packs get access to them so we hope to open the application process again during the month of November. Updates will be posted on My Home and Facebook so please keep an eye out if you haven't been able to apply yet, or speak with your housing officer. For contact details see our website: https:// www.ayrshirehousing.org.uk/contact/your housing officer/
Tips to save on fuel
Here are some useful hints and tips, produced by NHS Ayrshire & Arran and Community Food and Health (Scotland).
Only fill the kettle with as much water as you need.
If you have an electric hob boil water for cooking in the kettle first rather than on the hob.
Keep lids on your saucepans when cooking, you’ll be able to turn the hob down and use less electricity or gas.
Match the size of the saucepan to the size of hob it’s on.
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It was great to see so many of our tenants entering our garden and pet competitions this year. Here are our winners and runners up for 2022. If you fancy being in with a chance of winning a National Garden voucher or Petcayr voucher then look out for entry details for next year’s competition in our Spring 2023 newsletter...
Handsome Teddy (left) is this year’s winner in the pet competition. Here he is sporting his winner’s rosette! Teddy is a 2 year old schnocker who is owned by Jayne Burdon of Prestwick.
The judges were very impressed by John Stewart’s hard work in his landscaped garden (above). John is this year’s winner in our garden competition. He lives in Ayr.
Runners up for this year are: Islay (top right), a working cocker spaniel owned by Lindsey Tyrer of Barr; Ziggy and Noodle (top far right) owned by Heather Murray of Coylton; Fergus the cavapoo (bottom right), owned by Hayley Wilson of Ayr and Minnie (bottom far right) owned by Ellie Watson of Ayr.
Runners up in the garden competition are: Elizabeth Fleming of Dailly (left); Catherine Main of Ayr (right); Mairi Boyd of Dailly (bottom left) and Mary Bletsoe of Dalrymple (bottom right). Well done on all your hard work.
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