Energy advice funding agreed as Chichester residents face ‘horrific choice between heating or eating’
With some Chichester residents facing ‘the horrific choice between heating or eating’, the district council has agreed to fund an energy advice service for another year.
The service – which is delivered by Arun and Chichester Citizens Advice, and helps residents with energy bills and energy related advice – has received £20,000 per year from the council since 2023.
During a meeting of the cabinet on Tuesday (September 1), it was agreed to extend the funding for another year.
Rhys Chant, cabinet member for communities, told the meeting that more than 4,700 people had been supported since the project began, with the main calls for help centring around energy, urgent support and benefits.
More than 500 people received emergency support with either food or fuel vouchers, more than 1,000 received support from The Household Support Fund, and around 400 received debt, benefit or budgeting advice.
Mx Chant said: “We know that more and more families and vulnerable residents are facing the horrific choice between heating or eating.
“Our rural district is uniquely impacted due to the high number of residents who rely on expensive fuels to heat their homes – and there are many rural residents who are facing the crunch much harder due to culminating factors like social isolation, poor connectivity and poorly insulated homes.”
Questions were asked about whether £20,000 would be enough. The council’s Supporting You team made 658 referrals to the service throughout the whole of 2025/26 – and referrals in 2026/27 have already reached 352.
Officers acknowledged that the number of referrals were on track to exceed the previous year’s total but had been told by Citizens Advice that £20,000 would be enough. If that proved not to be the case, there would be time later on to offer any extra support needed.
Mx Chant added: “Cold homes impact health, they impact well-being and outcomes, they make it harder for people to stay well, they make it harder for children to focus at school.
“No person should have to choose between heating and eating.”
For advice and help from Citizens Advice, log on towww.arunchichestercab.org.uk .