£3m fund to retrofit homes in Leeds

Leeds City Council has secured £2.9m worth of funding to retrofit homes across the region.

The funding will be used to provide targeted energy efficiency improvements such as cavity wall insulation, air-source heat pumps and wall insulation.

It is hoped that the project will save 385 private and council-owned households an average of £366 on their fuel bills every year and cut the city’s annual carbon footprint by 518 tonnes.

The work will be targeted to low-income households in the areas of Swarcliffe, Seacroft, Otley and Middleton.

In Leeds, more than 34,000 households are classed as living in fuel poverty which means that a household has above average fuel bills and paying these bills would push them below the poverty line.

Eligible residents will be contacted directly by Leeds City Council.

The council is also encouraging homeowners in Leeds to check their eligibility for the nationwide Green Homes Grant.

As part of the scheme, most homeowners and landlords can apply for vouchers covering two-thirds of the cost of eligible measures (up to £5,000) that make buildings more sustainable and cheaper to heat.

Cllr Debra Coupar, Leeds City Council’s executive member for communities, said: ‘It’s fantastic that Leeds has secured new funding to help hundreds of residents experiencing fuel poverty to save money by improving the energy efficiency of their homes.

‘While the council’s scheme will be ringfenced to help those who need it most, I’d strongly encourage all residents to check their eligibility for the national voucher scheme.

‘These improvements are particularly important when household incomes are under increased pressure due to the ongoing pandemic. The scheme will make it more affordable for people to keep warm in their homes.’

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