How to engage your MP on warm homes

We’re calling on the government to:  

• Provide urgent support for people dealing with sky-high energy prices
• Implement an emergency programme to insulate our heat-leaking homes
• Prioritise an energy system powered by cheap, green renewables. 

Read more about our campaign demands and political strategy. 

Whatever activity you’re planning, consider how you could use it as an opportunity to engage your MP. 

Remember: the best way to convince MPs to act is to show the breadth and depth of support for the campaign from voters in their constituency. So, before meeting with them, spend time building strong local support. 

Ways to engage your MP

Make a scarf

Throughout autumn and winter, United for Warm Homes groups across the country will be taking part in a craftivism activity – making campaign scarves. You could invite your MP to the craftivism session and use it as an opportunity to discuss the campaign. MPs will see this is an attractive photo opportunity. Find out how to take part.  

Send postcards  

It’s important that our decision makers hear heartfelt messages from local people about why we need warm homes. We’ve created template postcards in the shape of a home which you can order and use to gather messages at stalls and events to send to MPs. Read more about building local support.  

Share our report

Friends of the Earth worked with the Institute of Health Equity to produce a report on the health impacts of living in cold homes.  

The research found that 9.6 million UK households are living in heat-leaking, badly insulated homes and have incomes below the minimum required for an acceptable standard of living. Cold homes double the risk of adults developing new mental health conditions and put 1 in 4 children at risk of multiple mental health symptoms.

Download the report and email it to your MP.

Share local data

We’ve created briefings for every constituency showing the scale of the energy crisis in your area. Print out a copy and talk your MP through the findings, or email it to them if you can’t secure a meeting. Alongside the facts and figures, try to include stories of real-life experiences from local people.

Use thermal imaging cameras

Borrow one of our thermal imaging cameras and organise a walk with your MP to demonstrate the need for insulation in your local area. Use our map to find energy crisis hotspots near you.  

Organise a meeting with your MP

Ask your MP for a meeting to discuss the United for Warm Homes campaign and what actions they can take to ensure no one has to live in a cold home. Read our guidance on meeting with your MP, and see some ideas for talking to your MP about the campaign below.  

Use social and local media  

Whenever you engage your MP, make sure to share it on your social media channels and tag them to hold them to their commitments. You can also encourage them to post about the campaign on their own channels too.  

Send out a press release about how your MP has engaged with the campaign to the local media to help keep the pressure on your MP to take action.  

What to say to your MP

Whether you request a meeting, attend an MP surgery or engage with your MP at an event, it’s important to keep your conversation focused and get the most out of your time. Follow and adapt this simple structure to suit your needs:  

1. Introductions. Introduce everyone and give a brief overview of why you care about warm homes and what you’ve done so far on your campaign. If you’ve been working with local partners, make sure to include them in this meeting too.
2. The problem. Print out a copy of your constituency data briefing to show the scale of the crisis in your area. If you’ve been collecting messages or real-life stories from your community, now’s the time to share them.  
3. Solutions. Explain what solutions we’re calling for and how we want them to be implemented. Find out more about our campaign demands.
4. Make the ask. We need MPs to be champions for warm homes inside parliament. Ask your MP if they’d be willing to submit a parliamentary question. They could ask one of our suggested questions, or we can help draft them one if they’d like something more specific.  
5. Take a photo. Before you leave, get a photo of your MP with your group holding a campaign sign so you can post it on your social media accounts and hold your MP to their commitments. You could also inform local press about the meeting by sending out a press release.  

After you’ve met, send your MP an email to thank them for their time and include relevant links like the constituency data briefing or our report into the health impacts of cold homes.  

Support

If you need any support with engaging your politicians, get in touch with your regional campaign organiser or email [email protected]. We’d also love to know if you meet your MP so we can keep track of engagement across the country.  

It’s important to remain politically impartial in your campaigning. Read our guidance to find out more.