Councils to roll out free insulation

The city council has been awarded 510,000 by the Scottish Government to offer free loft insulation to 5900 homes in the Tollcross and Fountainbridge areas.

Families in these areas, which were chosen because of the high number of uninsulated tenement properties there, can expect to save an average of 50 per year on fuel bills and significantly cut carbon emissions.

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The government says the scheme, which follows an insulation drive announced earlier this month, will create and sustain jobs for energy advisors, insulation manufacturers, and installers, and cut down on waste.

Councillor Paul Edie, housing leader for Edinburgh, said: "Recent schemes in other parts of Edinburgh have proved successful and seen hundreds of families in the Capital take up not just advice but also energy saving measures.

"The grants will help reduce energy consumption and help to tackle fuel poverty.

"Homeowners will not only see a beneficial impact on the cost of their bills but also ensure their homes are warmer when they most need it.

"Far too many people are struggling to heat their homes properly through poor insulation."

East Lothian council has been awarded 470,000 from the government to offer free loft and cavity wall insulation to more than 6000 residents in Musselburgh.

Eligible residents will soon receive leaflets explaining the scheme and can organise a time for an energy advisor to visit them to discuss the benefits of insulation.

Scottish Government housing and communities minister Alex Neil said: "The Scottish Government is taking radical measures to help households in East Lothian lower fuel bills and reduce their carbon footprint.

"In difficult economic conditions its vital we do all we can to put money back into people's pockets and create schemes that stimulate our economy."

Elizabeth Leighton from WWF Scotland said that the scheme was another steps towards lifting people out of fuel poverty.

She said: "Our research shows that the universal, neighbourhood approach helps lift people out of fuel poverty, reduce emissions, creates jobs, and is very cost-effective.

"This is the kind of investment we need to make Scotland's economy a low-carbon one, which can meet both climate change and fuel poverty targets."

Up to 100,000 households across Scotland are to be offered help through the government scheme, with plans for 27 councils to offer a wide range of energy saving schemes in rural, urban, suburban and island communities.

This is on top of a 15m scheme announced earlier this month, which is already offering 200,000 households across Scotland free or discounted insulation.