Thrift Energy, one of the UK’s leading installers of energy saving measures, is working with Carlisle City Council on a new scheme that will tackle fuel poverty in the Carlisle district.
Thrift Energy has been selected by Carlisle City Council as an approved installer for ECO measures and for the council’s ECO flexible eligibility scheme which will run until 2022. Thrift Energy can access funding to support the installation of energy efficiency measures for Carlisle and district residents. The Warmer Communities Carlisle scheme will help support fuel poor and low-income households.
Having recently won a national award for “Home Adaptations Service of the Year”, the team at Homelife Carlisle, a Home Improvement Agency provided by Carlisle City Council, has been rewarded for their success in speeding up home adaptations and for increasing the breadth for types of measures that improve health, well-being and independence.
Also recognised for excellence, Thrift Energy has recently won the award for Insulation and Fabric Installer Contractor of the year at the Energy Efficiency Awards 2018, receiving the award for a second time.
Operating through Warmer Communities Carlisle, the aim is to support fuel poor and low-income households, including those living in rural areas without access to mains gas, offering both heating and insulation solutions and a free advice service.
Both Carlisle City Council and Thrift Energy are known for their innovative methods and have worked together since 2016. They are now working together to tackle serious social objectives such as fuel poverty and addressing poor health and high fuel bills due to inadequate home heating and insulation. Now is the time that the temperature is starting to drop and is when the weather starts to impact people who have health conditions that are vulnerable to the effects of the cold.
The newly launched community interest company Warmer Communities offers free behavioural and energy saving advice to help lower heating bills and increase energy efficiency. It also provides access to a wide range of funding options to enable households to have heating and insulation measures installed in their home, including fully funded ‘whole house solutions’ (subject to eligibility).
Carlisle City Cllr Lee Sherriff, Portfolio holder for Communities, Health and Wellbeing, said: “We are committed to improving the lives and homes of our residents. We want as many households to benefit from Warmer Communities Carlisle as possible. There will be a wide variety of grants available and we hope residents take up the opportunity to get their homes made warmer and safer.”
Josh Raffo, Company Director of Warmer Communities and Thrift Energy added: “Studies show that having a warmer and properly insulated household can decrease the need for medical attention, particularly to those vulnerable to cold. Providing a healthy living environment also helps children to perform better in school and can assist in lowering energy bills and decreasing financial strain for low income households whose resources are already stretched.”
“Having worked with Carlisle City Council and Homelife for a number of years, we are delighted and excited to work with them on such an important endeavour with life changing benefits at the heart. My team is highly trained in identifying and installing energy efficient improvements and through Warmer Communities Carlisle we will provide never seen before solutions to even the most rural communities. Throughout the scheme we will be training and recruiting more staff from within the local community offering permanent employment opportunities and benefitting the local economy.”
The Warmer Communities Carlisle scheme will be launched in October. For more information call 01228 812867 or visit www.warmercommunities.org.uk
