Heating help scheme hit by cuts

Aug 21 2011 by Mr Justice, Sunday Sun

THE Warm Front scheme aims to help the less well-off with heating and insulation for their homes.

Government cuts, however, have seen a drastic reduction in funding – down from £345m in the year April 2010 to April 2011, to £110m this year and £100m in the year after that.

At the same time qualifying criteria were toughened up making grants harder to get.

The scheme assisted around 150,000 households last year but the numbers will fall by about two-thirds in the current and next financial years.

The disabled are the bigger losers so far in the shake-up.

Grants are now based only on the receipt of income-related benefit instead of income and disability-related benefit.

It is administered by Newcastle-based Carillion Energy Services, previously Eaga.

For qualifying households improvements worth up to £3,500 are available.

The amount increases to £6,000 where oil central heating and other alternative technologies are recommended.

Work includes loft insulation, draught-proofing, cavity wall insulation, hot water tank insulation, and heating by gas, electric, liquid petroleum gas or oil.

The scheme can also convert a solid-fuel open fire to a glass-fronted fire.

You must own your home or rent it from a private landlord.

Householders are expected to contribute to the cost only if the estimate for the work is higher than the grant.

Eligible customers include those awarded Pension Credit or income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.

Applicants must also have a pensioner premium or a disability or severe disability premium among others.

A rough rule of thumb is that those who get cold weather payments could be eligible.

Warm Front has a customer promise for handling complaints with the aim of reaching a satisfactory resolution within 28 days.

Customers will not, however, be able to insist on a different contractor.