Residents in some of Glasgow’s most deprived areas who own their homes or rent privately are set to get free wall insulation.
Previously home owners had to pay £1,500 as a contribution but that has been binned amid the cost of living and energy crisis and the fact that some residents didn't want to take part because of the cost.
Glasgow City Council has accepted £6.437million from the Scottish Government to deliver the energy-efficient home improvements in the city between April and end of March 2023.
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The scheme aims to help private households facing fuel poverty reduce energy costs.
The grant amount available per home ranges from £8,500 to £13,000 for the energy efficient Scotland area based schemes, which mostly sees external wall insulation installed.
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SNP Councillor Kenny McLean, council convener for housing, said: “In recent years, this scheme has helped to make homes in Glasgow more energy-efficient, reducing energy costs and emissions. Given the challenges so many face with energy costs, the value of this scheme is clear, all the more so given the relaxation in owners’ contributions this year.”
Councillors were presented with details of the scheme at the city administration committee on Thursday.
Labour councillor Soryia Siddique asked when the home improvement cash must be spent by at the meeting.
An official confirmed the grant was offered in May and has to be spent by June 2023.
Offering assurance that progress is being made despite the paper just being presented, Councillor McLean said: “There is a huge amount of work going on in the background.”
The council said research from the Child Poverty Action Group has estimated that from January 2023 around 180,000 households in Glasgow may be in fuel poverty.
Councillors agreed to accept the Scottish Government funding today and relax owners’ requirement to pay £1,500 towards the installation of external wall insulation for the Area Based Scheme 2022 to 2023 programme.
A council report said: “This funding will allow Glasgow to tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency to owner occupied and private rented properties in wholly owned and mixed tenure blocks under the Scottish Government’s Energy Efficient Scotland – Area Based Schemes (EES: ABS) programme for 2022 to 2023.”
Another aim of the scheme is to help the council achieve net zero carbon environmental targets to fight the climate catastrophe.
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