Caithness householders could benefit from funding package and help the environment
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A CALL has been made for people in Caithness and other parts of the Highlands to sign up to a scheme which can provide householders with up to 100 per cent of the funding to carry out energy efficient works to their homes.
The plea came from Highland Council's climate change working group which wants to encourage people to get involved in the Energy Efficient Scotland Scheme and be part of the larger fight to protect the environment.
The scheme, which is administered by Highland Council’s Climate Change Team, can provide householders with up to 100 per cent of the funding needed to carry out energy efficient works to their homes.
The Scottish Government scheme is targeting fuel-poor areas and in particular providing support to those in fuel and extreme fuel poverty and households which are vulnerable to the effects of living in a cold home.
The works can result in significant savings for householders on fuel bills and will also reduce harmful carbon emissions.
Chair of the climate change working group, councillor Trish Robertson, said: "This programme has been helping householders for a number of years now and there’s still time for people to take advantage of those benefits.
"The scheme, and the works it provides, can enhance home comfort levels, in many cases improve the looks of a home and even reduce noise levels."
She added: "A significant number of households throughout the Highlands will directly be impacted as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"The programme can offer support to these households by offering energy efficient measures which can lower heating and energy costs, while improving living conditions for residents."
In addition, Highland Council will be looking at other energy efficiency measures which could provide support and increase comfort levels for residents.
The total grant funding from the Scottish Government in 2020/21 was £3,168,000 and for 2021/22 it is £3,232,666 – an increase due in part to successful lobbying by the Highland Council to recognise logistical challenges unique to the region.
It is the ninth year of the programme which has seen the climate team leverage around £32.8m of external funding to the Highlands to deliver energy efficiency measures. That includes, external wall insulation, cavity and loft insulation, solar PV, and air source heat pumps to approximately 3,000 privately owned and privately rented properties throughout the region.
Full eligibility criteria can be found on: https://www.highland.gov.uk/downloads/file/20976/eligibility_criteria
For any further queries or to register interest, you can call the council's call delivery partner, EON Energy Installation Services on 08000 987 897. Alternatively, you can register interest on the council website.
