Funding given to warm homes

The council has been successful in its bid for government funding to keep residents safe and warm in their homes this winter.

A £74,060 grant will be used to run ‘Project Warm Shield’, a scheme where  Luton Borough Council and the voluntary sector, work with households with young children, older or disabled residents whose health are put at risk by cold weather.

 The funding will be used to carry out emergency repairs on boilers, install draught-proofing measures and loaning out radiators to the neediest of households.

Trained energy advisors will also work with households who find it difficult to pay their gas and electricity bills to provide support, advice and guidance on how to keep warm while ensuring fuel bills are kept to a minimum.

Funding will also be used to run a general awareness campaign on winter warmth aimed at all residents.

Cllr Tom Shaw, said: “This is fantastic news as I know many households – particularly those with elderly residents – are really struggling at the moment because they can’t afford to heat their homes which puts their health at serious risk.

“A combination of rising fuel bills and the current state of the economy has caused the number of people suffering from fuel poverty to dramatically increase so to find out that we have been successful in our bid couldn’t have come at a better time.

“The other great thing is that this project can start almost immediately and we are already working with our partners in the voluntary sector to identify those who are most needy and really struggling to pay their bills while keeping warm.”

The project is being coordinated by the Council-led Home Improvement Agency which is made up of a number of local agencies and specialises in helping older and vulnerable people to take advantage of services they might not be otherwise be aware of.

It works with a number of other organisations, both locally and nationally, that can help with grants, loans or day-to-day assistance for a huge variety of tasks to ensure people are safe, warm and healthy in their homes.

For more information about the scheme and other services provided by the Luton Home Improvement Agency call 01582 54 67 89.