Discounted and free home insulation
Released: 4 March 2008
Thousands of Wolverhampton householders may be eligible for discounted or even free cavity wall and loft insulation through two schemes supported by the city council which both aim to keep homes warm and cosy in the winter months.
Councillor Peter Bilson, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Enterprise, said: "Wolverhampton was one of the first local authorities in the country to develop an Affordable Warmth Strategy.
“Energy efficient measures, such as installing adequate insulation, help to reduce fuel bills by conserving the use of energy in the home as well as limiting the amount of C02 emissions released into the atmosphere which is widely considered to be a major factor in global warming."
Insulation reduces the amount of heat that escapes from a property, meaning central heating can be turned off thus reducing fuel bills and the amount of carbon dioxide reduced into the atmosphere.
Energywise will carry out cavity wall insulation for £145 and loft insulation for £189. The discount is available subject to the results of a free no obligation survey. People on means tested benefits may be eligible (subject to existing insulation levels) for a 100 per cent grant and will not have to pay a penny.
Full grants are also available for every homeowner aged 70 or over. People living in privately rented housing can also apply if they have their landlord’s approval.
In a separate scheme, E.ON - one of the UK's leading electricity and gas companies - is offering free cavity wall and loft insulation to residents on qualifying benefits and anyone aged 70 or over.
E.ON aims to install insulation for free in more than 200 private houses in the Oxley and Bushbury area - saving homeowners up to £360 a year on their energy bills.
Community groups in Oxley and Bushbury are also set to benefit from the scheme as a way of saying thank you for their local knowledge. In an industry first, groups who are helping to identify homes that could benefit from insulation are being given £30 for each qualifying measure that gets installed.
Anyone in the Bushbury or Oxley areas wanting more information about the E.ON scheme should contact 0800 096 1109.
People living across the city wanting more details about the Energywise scheme should call the Wolverhampton Energy Efficiency Advice Centre on 0845 60 20 300.
Issued by the press office.