A new scheme announced by the government will see hundreds of thousands of Brits receive free home insulation within the next three years.
The scheme, unveiled by Business and Energy Secretary Grant Shapps, will supposedly extend support to those who currently do not benefit from any other form of government support. Loft and cavity wall insulation will be handed out to households, saving eligible homes with a D or worse efficiency rating an average £310 on their energy bills annually.
According to the government, the new ECO+ scheme will see around 80 per cent of the £1 billion funding be made available for households who are in some of the least energy-efficient homes in the UK as well as those in the lower Council Tax bands. Around a fifth of the fund will also be targeted at the most vulnerable such as those on means-tested benefits or in fuel poverty.
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The government also plans to expand its Help for Households campaigns to help customers reduce their overall energy usage and bill costs. Business and Energy Secretary Grant Shapps said: "The government put immediate help in place to support households in the wake of global energy price rises caused by Putin’s illegal march on Ukraine.
"Today, we launch the first of many measures to ensure the British public are never put in this position again as we work towards an energy independent future. A new ECO scheme will enable thousands more to insulate their homes, protecting the pounds in their pockets, and creating jobs across the country.
"And in the short term, our new public information campaign will also give people the tools they need to reduce their energy use while keeping warm this winter."
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said: "With Putin’s war driving up gas prices worldwide, I know many families are feeling worried about their energy bills this winter and beyond. Our extensive energy support package is insulating people from the worst of this crisis, but we’re also supporting people to permanently cut their costs.
"In the longer term, we need to make Britain more energy independent by generating more clean, affordable, home-grown power, but we also need more efficient homes and buildings. Our new ECO+ scheme will help hundreds of thousands of people across the UK to better insulate their homes to reduce consumption, with the added benefit of saving families hundreds of pounds each year."
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