SGN & Kidney Care UK charity partnership to provide support to thousands of people with kidney disease

The UK’s gas distribution networks (GDNs) Cadent, Northern Gas Networks, SGN and Wales & West Utilities are working with Kidney Care UK to offer specialist support to help nearly 18,000 people living with kidney failure across the UK.

Currently there are 30,074 people (29,135 adults and 939 children) with advanced kidney disease in the UK who rely on dialysis to stay alive. The majority of these patients have a routine which consists of three to four sessions of dialysis a week, each taking up to six hours or more in hospital. On top of this they have to manage the associated stress and time pressures of travel to and from treatment.

Due to the time constraints and health impacts associated with treatment for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), only 26% of people on dialysis are in full time employment.

The unique and transformational partnership, uniting statutory, charitable and corporate sectors, will support vulnerable customers most in need, providing people living with CKD with vital support to help tackle fuel poverty.

The initial two-year project, delivered by trained and trusted Patient Support & Advocacy Officers, will provide a range of patient support services, including face-to-face support where people living with kidney disease will get assistance with benefit entitlement, welfare support and specialist money and energy advice.

"We are pleased to be working with the UK’s Gas Distribution Networks as part of a transformational partnership to support almost 18,000 vulnerable kidney patients who are in immediate need of support. Philanthropic investment from our partners is enabling Kidney Care UK to increase its direct, on the ground support to thousands of dialysis patients, delivering tangible welfare and wellbeing benefits at a time when it is more important than ever."

Laurie Cuthbert, Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Communications at Kidney Care UK

Gurvinder Dosanijh, Social Programmes Manager at Cadent

"We’re pleased to be working with Kidney Care UK alongside our fellow GDN’s to support vulnerable kidney patients. We are aware that people with medical conditions that limit their capacity to work can easily find themselves in situations of financial difficulty, and with the increased reliance on energy to power their treatments, money constraints become ever more suffocating. This project will go towards alleviating those financial pressures and specifically fuel hardship that many patients and carers experience by having to heat, feed and manage the finances and affairs of their households."

Laura Ratcliffe, Social Strategy Programme Manager at Northern Gas Networks

"We’re proud to be part of such an important partnership that is supporting some of our most vulnerable customers. By helping people across our network access on-the-ground energy advice that could improve their quality of life, this project is working to make a positive difference to many customers impacted not only by a chronic health condition, but higher energy bills as well."

Linda Spence, Vulnerability Manager at SGN

"We’re committed to keeping our communities safe and warm and we know people with health conditions are uniquely impacted by higher than average energy costs. By working in a joined-up way with Kidney Care UK, we’re able to reach those who are really struggling and provide much needed energy advice. Through building strong connections we can help vulnerable households get much needed help."

Sophie Shorney, VCMA Manager at Wales & West Utilities

"Alongside the other GDNs we are proud to be supporting Kidney Care UK in delivering energy related welfare advice and support to people with chronic kidney disease. This initiative provides a real opportunity to improve the quality of life for people with kidney disease and we hope that this unique partnership will continue to impact many of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities across the UK."