An award-winning partnership made up of Thrift Energy and Homelife Carlisle have successfully bid for grants to support residents in Carlisle through the ‘Warm Homes Fund’.
Working as part of the ‘Warmer Communities Carlisle’ scheme which launched in October last year, the new grant funding will offer mains gas central heating systems to 200 Homes within the district. The aim is also to connect people to mains gas through the Fuel Poor Extension Scheme where this is a viable option. Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding will also be used to offer as many free or heavily discounted installations where possible.
The Warm Homes Fund was launched in July 2017 by National Grid and is administered by Community Interest Company, Affordable Warmth Solutions. The scheme runs over three years and provides capital funding for the installation of affordable heating solutions in households who do not currently use mains gas as their primary heating fuel to help reduce the cost of heating for many homes. It is a £150million fund administered across England, Scotland and Wales. Additional grants and funding are also available through Carlisle City Council’s Home Improvement Agency, Homelife Carlisle, for other heating systems if mains gas is not a viable option.
Jeremy Nesbitt, Managing Director of Affordable Warmth Solutions said: “We are excited about this investment from National Grid. Solving the issues associated with Fuel Poverty continues to challenge many of our stakeholders and the feedback we’ve already received provides evidence of how the Warm Homes Fund will make a positive difference to thousands of homes throughout Great Britain.”
Carlisle City Cllr Anne Glendinning, Portfolio holder for Economy, Enterprise and Housing, said: “This project will make a huge difference to the lives of many Carlisle residents who are struggling with fuel costs or those living in inadequately heated homes. We are encouraging as many people to apply for this as possible.”
Josh Raffo, Director of Warmer Communities, added: “To date we have identified more than 150 properties which may be suitable for mains gas to be supplied which are also qualifying under Carlisle City Council’s flexible eligibility statement for ECO. We will be writing to householders in the coming weeks, but we also want people to contact us who have homes that are not currently connected to mains gas or do not have gas central heating, so we can check if they are eligible for the scheme.
“We are delighted to have been successful in our bid with Homelife Carlisle and we will be looking to use this opportunity to encourage local trades to be actively involved to support the installation work and improve the local economy.”
Warmer Communities Carlisle scheme has carried out installations of free or heavily subsidised installations of both heating and insulation improvements across the district since the official start of what is known as ECO3. Thrift Energy is an approved installer for Carlisle City Council’s ECO flexible eligibility scheme which will run until 2022. Thrift Energy are specialists in installing Loft and Cavity Wall Insulation, Room-in-Roof Insulation, Solid Wall Insulation and heating upgrades.
This latest project will begin from January 2019 and aims to be completed by February 2020. Funding will be available to homeowners and privately rented properties. Households that currently have mains gas supplied but no central heating will also qualify. It will be on a first come, first serve basis. Eligibility includes households that have an inefficient property rated EPC of E, F, or G or no mains gas central heating and are viable property for funded mains gas connection under the Fuel Poor Network Extension Scheme (FPNES). Eligibility for the scheme is not wholly dependent on household income.
For more information or to find out if you qualify call 01228 812867 or email [email protected]
