Lower energy bills for 540,000 Scottish homes

More than one in five households in Scotland have received help to cut their gas and electricity bills in the last four years. According to new figures published today, more […]

More than one in five households in Scotland have received help to cut their gas and electricity bills in the last four years.

According to new figures published today, more than 540,000 homes received over 629,000 free or subsidised installed cavity wall or loft insulation through the Carbon Emission Reduction Target (CERT) initiative between April 2008 to December 2012.

CERT is an obligation for gas and electricity suppliers to tackle fuel poverty and implement energy efficiency measures in order to achieve an overall lifetime carbon saving target of 185 million tonnes through measures delivered by the scheme.

Housing Minister Margaret Burgess said: “Scotland is an energy rich nation and everyone should be able to live in a warm and affordable home that doesn’t cost the earth to heat. This Government is doing all it can to help people cut their energy bills and through its partnership work with energy suppliers over half a million households have been assisted to improve energy efficiency. These statistics released today are further evidence of the work we are doing to help customers struggling to pay their energy bills.”

The Scottish Government has also released funding worth £79 million to tackle fuel poverty this financial year. Homeowners are also eligible to apply for £400 towards the cost of a new boiler, £500 for insulation and up to £300 for other efficient measures such as double-glazing and heating controls.

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