I am very pleased to see this press release going out today, highlighting the success of an extremely important project that I help create and bring to life.
CONTINUED SUCCESS FOR HELP TO HEAT SCHEME OFFERING RESIDENTS FREE INSULATION
In October 2020 Wokingham Borough Council launched their Help to Heat scheme allowing local residents access to free, or heavily subsidised, home insulation. The scheme has proved a massive success with over 700 resident properties already benefitting from Help to Heat with a mix of over 850 cavity wall and loft insulation solutions installed in these homes.
And it doesn’t stop there, as there are already another 50 residents signed up to receive works soon, and plenty of funding to insulate hundreds more eligible homes across the borough, supporting the Council’s ambitions to address fuel poverty and tackle the climate emergency.
“Help to Heat is a great scheme and it’s fantastic news we’ve been able to help so many local residents improve their homes in the last ten months” said Cllr Gregor Murray, executive member for resident services, communications and emissions. “Every home we insulate is another step towards reducing carbon emissions in the borough, and another step towards achieving our vision for a greener Wokingham by 2030.”
Installing good quality home insulation can help reduce the amount of carbon emissions significantly as well as helping reduce people’s utility bills as less energy is needed to help keep properties warm in the winter. Good insultation can also help keep homes cooler in the summer when temperatures begin to rise, as it can reduce solar gain through roof spaces and walls.
“With such a range of local people eligible for the Help to Heat scheme, it’s the perfect opportunity for them to get their home improved for free or at a very low cost.” Cllr Murray continued. “Being able to reduce energy costs is especially important for those who are seeing their energy bills soar, are on fixed incomes, or are simply struggling to meet their bills through the year. The help is there, and I’d encourage people to check to see if they might qualify for support as it’s the ideal time to get the work done.”
Those eligible for the Help to Heat Scheme include residents in receipt of certain benefits, those with a household income below £35,000 after taxes or those on a list identified as persons vulnerable to cold which includes residents aged 65 and over, or with children aged 5 or under with a range of health conditions such as cardiovascular disease or cancer.
Further information on the Help to Heat scheme, including a full list of those eligible, can be found on the council website http://www.wokingham.gov.uk by searching for Help to Heat.
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