25th January 2012
Families who have been keeping their living room warm with an electric panel wall heater this winter might be missing out on government help to cut their energy bills.
According to Consumer Focus and National Energy Action, the government's flagship Warm Front campaign to assist low-income households in keeping their homes heated is set for a £30 million underspend.
Part of the reason for this is because this winter has so far been relatively mild compared with the previous two years, while the government has cut funding to the scheme by two-thirds - despite it being inundated with applications in 2010.
It means that up to 16,000 households in the UK currently struggling to pay their energy bills are receiving no help from Warm Front, and up to a fifth of its £143 million of funding for this year is going unclaimed.
Audrey Gallacher, director of Energy at Consumer Focus, commented: "The poorest pensioners and families will have been hit particularly hard by high energy prices. Many are living in cold homes, which could put their health at risk.
"It is very disappointing that people who need Warm Front help to make their homes warmer and cheaper to heat are likely to miss out. We'd urge anyone who thinks they may be eligible to put in a claim."
Applications for Warm Front assistance have to be in by March 31st, and eligibility includes people on some income-related benefits who are living in poorly insulated properties or have no working gas or electric central heating.
Those who receive Cold Weather Payments are also eligible for the Warm Front grant and might be able to use the money they receive to pay for a new electrical panel heater to keep their rooms at a reasonable temperature.
Posted by Adam Simmons
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