A £1.4 million grant scheme to support social care providers in Wales to improve energy efficiency is now open for applications.

It will support residential social care providers to implement energy-saving and low carbon measures and help them deal with the cost of energy crisis and move towards net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

The pilot scheme, part of the Welsh Government’s Backing Local Firms Fund, is open to residential care providers registered with Care Inspectorate Wales, offering grants of between £30,000 to £50,000 to fund investments such as heat pumps, cavity wall insulation, double glazing windows, ground source heat pumps, loft insulation, tanks and pipes insulation.

Eligible businesses can apply for funding until 21st December 2022.

Julie Morgan, Deputy Minister for Social Services said: “We all have a part to play in tackling the climate change crisis and we must act now if we are to reduce emissions and hit our target of having net zero carbon emissions by 2030. Good progress has already been made within the health and social care sector and we want to ensure social care in Wales is energy efficient.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for social care providers to reduce their impact of the energy crisis, improve their Energy Performance Certificate and make the social care sector more sustainable. I encourage all residential care providers to submit an application.”