UK residents are being urged to check of they are eligible for free heating and insulation improvements ahead of the winter.
Consumer Focus, Citizens Advice, Age UK and National Children’s Bureau have come together to flag up the Warm Front scheme, which will aid householders concerned about the cost of heating the house.
The organisations are responding to the fact that around 6 million UK households are expected to cut back on heating this winter, due to cost concerns.
Over 2011/12 the Warm Front scheme was under-spent by over £50 million, with the number of applications falling sharply after being over-subscribed in 2010/11.
Claim rates are again low this year, across England only 11,766 people applied to Warm Front between April and July 2012, a huge fall compared to the 133,034 applications received in the whole of the financial year 2010/11.
The Government is introducing changes today (12 September) that will make more people and families with children, who are living on low incomes, eligible for the scheme.
Citizens Advice chief executive Gillian Guy said: “We’re really worried people are struggling with their fuel bills because they live in homes that haemorrhage heat.
“Yet there is lots of help out there to make your home warmer – especially if you are on a low income. Your local CAB can help you apply for a Warm Front grant and Citizens Advice will be helping people save money on their energy bills during Big Energy Saving Week.”
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