NEWS RELEASE
Date: 29 September 2008
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Out of hours telephone 020 7270 8960
Environment minister tackles fuel poverty concerns in Stoke
Environment Minister Phil Woolas will meet local residents and MPs in Stoke today to discuss the Warm Front scheme, which delivers insulation and heating improvements to vulnerable households.
As a result of Warm Front 17,000 Stoke householders have benefited from new heating systems and a further 17,000 have received insulation. More than 11,000 local residents aged over 60 have received assistance through the scheme, as have nearly 8,000 homes with children and more than 7,000 disabled residents. Warm Front has also resulted in an average weekly benefit increase of £25.64 for more than 1000 local households.
Phil Woolas said:
“Fuel poverty is serious issue that this Government is committed to tackling. Warm Front has already helped almost 25,000 vulnerable households in the Stoke area, investing almost £20 million in energy efficiency measures to help local people.
“I understand from local MPs that some residents have questions about Warm Front and I am here today to listen, respond to the concerns raised by the MPs and explain the billion pound Home Energy Saving Programme recently announced by the Prime Minister. The figures speak for themselves and make clear what a valuable contribution Warm Front has made in helping alleviate fuel poverty and improving energy efficiency in Stoke.”
The Minister was invited to Stoke by local MPs Joan Walley, Robert Flello and Mark Fisher, who he will meet this morning. Afterwards he will meet local people and representatives from Eaga, the company which administers Warm Front.
Notes to editors
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The Government announced a £1 billion Home Energy Saving Programme on 11 September, which will enable householders to take advantage of help that could save them over £300 on their annual energy bills. This includes assistance to improve energy efficiency, extra money to help pay fuel bills this winter, and lower energy company tariffs. More information on the programme is available at www.defra.gov.uk/news/2008/080911a.htm.
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Since 2000 Warm Front has helped more than 1.7 million vulnerable households in England, including half a million households in the past two years. The scheme is available to home owners and private tenants in receipt of certain Government benefits, and provides grants of up to £2,700 (or £4,000 if oil central heating is involved). The announcement on 11 September that the Government will increase spending on the Warm Front scheme by £74 million takes it total spending on this programme to £873 million over the period to March 2011. More information on Warm Front is available at www.warmfront.co.uk.
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The CERT (Carbon Emissions Reduction Target) scheme, which came into effect on 1 April 2008, doubled the previous obligation on energy companies to help people make their homes more energy efficient and reduce household carbon emissions. The Government announced on 11 September that the investment target of £2.8 billion over three years has increased by 20%, or £560 million. In addition, the new Community Energy Saving Programme will require a further investment of around £350 million. The total energy company contribution will therefore be more than £3.7 billion between now and March 2011.
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Page published: 29 September 2008