Swindonians urged to keep warm this winter (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Swindonians urged to keep warm this winter

10:03am Wednesday 16th January 2008 in Swindon

Michael Wills MP has urged Swindonians to keep warm this winter by checking their eligbility for benefits including central heating and heat saving insulation work through the Defra funded Warm Front Scheme.

Warm Front, which combats fuel poverty by installing central heating and heat saving insulation work into the homes of vulnerable people, has so far assisted 1,409 households in North Swindon - a total spend of £1,232,934.78 in the area.

Michael said: "The Warm Front scheme provides heating and insulation to the homes of some of my most vulnerable constituents, and it has my support. Affordable heat is a basic need that all people should have access to."

The scheme manager, eaga plc, has reported that 459 households have benefited from a brand new central heating system or repair to their current central heating system in North Swindon and 868 have benefited from energy saving insulation measures since they have operated the scheme (1 June 2000 to 29 Sept 2007).

Householders applying for the Warm Front scheme also have the opportunity to undergo a comprehensive check to see if they are in receipt of all the benefits they are entitled to. Benefit Entitlement Checks have been operating as part of Warm Front since June 2003, with the average weekly increase per constituent with new/increased benefits in North Swindon being found as £20.12.

In terms of vulnerable groups of people who have been helped by Warm Front grants, eaga has reported that 138 households with children under the age of four, 354 households on DLA, and 815 households over the age of 60 in North Swindon have benefited from improvements to their homes.

To qualify, householders need to own their own home or rent from a private landlord, and they also need to be in receipt of an income or disability related benefit. Local residents can contact the Warm Front team on 0800 316 6014 to apply for a grant.