Every April, we publish our Impact Report. Offering a look at the achievements of our charity partners and the effective use of our grants, it is always such a bittersweet moment for us.
On the one hand, it fills us with great pride that the work we do with our partners is making such tangible differences to people’s lives. However, on the other hand, it presents the uncomfortable truth about the challenges facing people living in fuel poverty throughout the year.
National Energy Action (NEA) estimates that 6.1 million households are living in fuel poverty, based on its definition of fuel poverty. According to the NEA, a household is living in fuel poverty if it is spending 10 per cent of its income on keeping its home at a satisfactory heating level. As the cost of living challenges show little sign of abating, it’s clear that fuel poverty remains a very real threat to many people.
This is shown through the results from our Impact Report.
Since we started in 2019, Cadent Foundation has awarded more than £28million in grants to charity partners. Thanks to this support, 2025 was a record year for the Foundation, awarding over £4.3 million worth of funding in grants.
Last year, this funding helped us achieve truly amazing results:
These stats are all significant increases on the results of our 2024 Impact Report and are a huge testament to the fantastic work our charity partners do. It’s been achieved as a result of our vision to support projects which have long-term, sustainable solutions to fuel poverty at the core of their objectives.
The focus of the Cadent Foundation has never solely been on providing instant support. While we do provide this through initiatives like our £1m Warm Fund, as there is a demand for immediate help, our main objective is to ensure people living in fuel poverty receive support that offers long-term relief.
From meeting many of our incredible advisors and beneficiaries over the last 12 months, you can really see how this model is helping to transform people’s lives and their wellbeing – both physically and mentally.
Our Impact Report gives us time to reflect on our achievements, but it’s also a reminder of why our commitment to supporting customers living in vulnerable situations must continue. Learning from our charity partners, we will ensure we continue to provide the most targeted and impactful support possible.
The impact we’ve made shows us what is possible when long-term support is provided via expert partners situated at a local level. The NEA’s most recent statistics on fuel poverty remind us that it remains a significant challenge for millions of people. However, with the continued impact of our programmes and sustained support from Cadent, we believe there is real hope that we can create lasting change for the people who need it most.
