Winter warmer is on offer for district elderly (From Malvern Gazette)

Winter warmer is on offer for district elderly

11:44am Friday 3rd February 2012 in News By Neil Watts

ELDERLY residents in the Malvern Hills could soon enjoy the comfort of warmer homes thanks to the launch of a new £70,000 insulation scheme.

Malvern Hills District Council is working in partnership with Warmer Worcestershire and Act on Energy to offer households where someone is 60 or older and the energy efficiency rating is low, the chance to have loft and cavity wall insulation installed for free.

The scheme is being funded by a £40,000 grant from Worcestershire County Council, with an additional £10,000 being made available from MHDC’s environmental efficiency budget.

A further £20,000 from MHDC’s priorities fund will be made available so the scheme can continue.

The funding will be delivered on a first come, first served basis until March.

It is hoped that it could eventually be rolled out to cover all eligible homes in the district.

Councillor David Hughes, portfolio holder for planning and housing at MHDC, said: “Finding new ways to improve the well-being of older residents is a key priority for this council.

“With the continuing rise in energy costs, and with everybody feeling the pinch financially, this is an ideal opportunity for residents to find ways of wasting as little energy as possible and also significantly improving the comfort of their homes.

“Our intention is to extend this scheme in the spring to all households with poor insulation.”

In 2008 about 26.1 per cent of households in Malvern Hills were considered to be in fuel poverty.

This made the authority the 11th worst affected in England.

And news of the scheme was warmly welcomed by George Waugh, chief executive officer for Age UK Malvern and District, who said: “I am all in favour of anything along those lines.

“After last winter people have thought about this winter and have actually put things in place before it happens.”

He added the charity continues to offer grants of £250 towards the cost of improving heating and insultation-related issues in the home.

The district council has also received a fund of £5,000 from British Gas to help households which do not meet the requirements of the scheme but would benefit from some insulation.

For more information, call the Worcestershire Hub on 01684 862151.

To book a free survey with Act on Energy, call 0800 9882881.

The Age UK Malvern and District advice hotline can be contacted by calling 01684 560666.