New funding available for heating and insulation improvements

News from our partners, Keep Shropshire Warm

New heating and insulation funding is available for householders and landlords across Shropshire, thanks to the latest round of government funding.

Householders who were previously ineligible, such as those not receiving benefits or park home residents, may now be eligible after the eligibility criteria was widened.

Keep Shropshire Warm, Shropshire Council’s energy advice scheme, can provide information and support to those who may qualify and can refer households on to accredited installers to undertake works. A number of households in the county have already accessed funding for new heating systems.

Keep Shropshire Warm are particularly keen to hear from owner occupiers and private tenants who are off the mains gas network and have old, inefficient or broken boilers or heating systems. Any householders who still require loft or cavity wall insulation should also qualify for funding. For the first time, old electric storage heaters are also eligible for upgrades.

Shropshire Council has widened the criteria for funding by taking part in the government’s new ECO ‘Flexible Eligibility’ initiative, in the hope that more local householders will benefit.

Oliver Rothwell, Project Manager at Keep Shropshire Warm said:

“This new criteria offers a great opportunity for residents in Shropshire to access financial help with heating replacements and insulation upgrades. I would encourage any households who are struggling with old and inefficient heating systems to call Keep Shropshire Warm without delay, even if you have previously been turned down for support.”

Funding is available to households on a low income with household members who have a health condition, are over the age of 60 or have children under five living at the property. If you are on a low income and not in one of these categories, you may still qualify if you spend a lot of money on heating your home.

Residents can get more information and check their eligibility by contacting the Keep Shropshire Warm team on 0800 112 3743 or by emailing advice@mea.org.uk.

For those that are eligible, funding rates will be calculated on the energy savings that any improvement works brings, following an initial survey. The level of funding is likely to be between half and all of the cost of the measures installed.

Keep Shropshire Warm is a partnership between Shropshire Council and Shrewsbury-based charity Marches Energy Agency. Free and impartial advice and support on any energy related topic is available year round via the service.