McNeil Welcomes Central Heating Programme
Extension
MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Duncan
McNeil, has welcomed the news that the free central heating and Warm Deal
programmes for pensioners are to be continued and expanded.
“Not only will the free central heating scheme be continuing for at least another two years,” he said today, “but it will be extended so that those receiving the Pension Credit can get free upgrades and repairs.”
From 1st January next year, the Central Heating Programme will be widened so that pensioners in receipt of the guarantee element of Pension Credit will be able to get upgrades if they currently have a central heating system which is partial or inefficient.
All pensioners applying to the programmes will also be eligible for a free personal benefits health check from the Pensions Service.
Mr McNeil continued:
“Our free Central Heating Programme for the elderly has already ensured that more than 65,000 homes in Scotland are warm, well-insulated and efficiently heated.
“But we can, and will, go further. This announcement means that the pensioners who need it most will be able to upgrade an old system which only heats a few rooms in the house or runs inefficiently.”
Alongside
the Central Heating and Warm Deal programmes, the Executive will run a pilot
study to explore the potential of renewable energy technology options for
heating in a variety of domestic settings across Scotland with a view to
considering including these technologies in the main central heating programme
at a later date.
ENDS
Notes
The Central Heating Programme provides
central heating systems and insulation measures in the private sector where the
householder or their spouse is 60 or over, and there is no system or one which
is irreparably broken. In addition,
applicants aged 80 or over can receive upgrades and replacements of partial or
inefficient systems.
The
Central Heating Programme has also provided central heating to all social sector
homes which did not have such a system and the householder wished it. (The exception is Glasgow Housing Association properties
where, because of the numbers involved, work will continue to March 2007.)
Since
the Central Heating Programme started in 2001, there have been over 65,000
installations, over 44,000 in over 60 households in the private sector. Over
£183 million has been spent to date.
The Warm Deal provides grant up to £500 for a package of insulation measures to all households in receipt of one of a range of benefits. There is a smaller grant up to £125 for pensioner households not on benefit. Over 224,000 dwellings have had insulation measures under the Warm Deal, and over £67 million has been spent to date.
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