RESIDENTS in Kidderminster, Stourport and Bewdley will soon benefit from lower energy bills after Wyre Forest District Council secured government funding totalling £1.275million, writes Taneesha Arora.
The grant from the Department for Energy security and Net Zero (DESNZ) comes with winter fast approaching.
The council will use the funding to launch the Warm Homes Grant which will see households receive tailored energy upgrades.
This grant is open to homeowners and private renters and, in particular, is targeted at low-income households. The upgrades available will help make homes warmer and more cost and energy efficient regardless of how they are heated.
The scheme well also help to combat climate change.
To qualify for this grant, households must have a pre-tax annual income of £36,000 or less or be receiving means-tested benefits, as well as an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D, E, F or G.
The council can arrange a free assessment for those homes which are likely to qualify, but do not have an EPC already.
The Warm Homes scheme follows on from the success of last year’s Home Upgrade Grant (HUG), which helped improve 76 homes across the district.
The council invested £1.28million in upgrades.
These included 64 solar PV systems, 50 insulation upgrades (including loft and cavity wall insulation), 17 air source heat pumps and 40 extractor fans to improve ventilation in total.
Wyre Forest District Council delivered twice as many home improvements as the average local authority according to DESNZ, placing it in the top 15 per cent of performers nationwide.
Wyre Forest District Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Health and Wellbeing, Coun Chris Rogers, said: “We’re proud to have helped so many households through the Home Upgrade Grant and are excited to launch the Warm Homes scheme.
“These improvements not only reduce energy bills but also support our commitment to net zero and healthier living environments.
“We will continue to bid for funding that helps us support our residents and tackle climate change.”
Households can visit: www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/WarmHomes to check their eligibility and for enquiries they can call 01562 732190 or email: [email protected] to find out more about Warm Homes.
