DECC announces £115,000 for fuel poverty refurb scheme in Halton

Feb 7 2013 by Oliver Clay, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

HALTON has been awarded a slice of fuel poverty cash by the Department For Energy And Climate Change (DECC).

The borough received £115,000 from a total £46m of grants announced across Great Britain.

The cash will pay for insulation and heating systems for vulnerable residents and Halton Borough Council will administer the scheme.

DECC said it hopes the project will cut bills and help residents to keep warm.

The department also awarded cash for collective switch schemes in which residents co-operate to change energy supplier en masse to slash bills.

DECC said the fund had been over-subscribed, with councils asking for more than £60m.

Energy secretary Edward Davey said: “We need to find new ways to help people with their energy bills, working with communities and councils across the country. The projects we are funding will help people save energy and save money: helping the most vulnerable to heat their homes, getting the Green Deal market up and running and encouraging people to switch energy suppliers to get their bills down.

“This £46m will help councils across England to upgrade inefficient heating kit as well as creating demand for and installing insulation under the Green Deal in homes across their areas. Funding will also be used to drive forward collective purchasing and switching initiatives at a local level, helping consumers get a better deal on their energy bills.”

He added: “I am delighted so many organisations want to run new co-operative schemes to help people, especially the fuel poor, to get the best deals in the market.”