Picture caption: From left to right: Nicola McLeod, Warmworks, Mrs Walker, Housing Minister Mr Kevin Stewart MSP and Michael Hilferty, SSEN.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) is providing Warmworks with a £100,000 fund to help remove up to 200 people from fuel poverty in the next five years.
Warmworks is a joint venture between the Energy Saving Trust, Changeworks and Everwarm to deliver the Warmer Homes Scotland programme on behalf of the Scottish Government.
The Scottish Government's Housing Minister Kevin Stewart MSP announced the launch of the fund at the home of a Warmworks customer Mrs Walker, who has previously benefited from the scheme.
SSEN's contribution will help close a funding gap that prevents its most vulnerable customers within its network area from accessing help to reduce their energy bills and make their homes warmer and safer.
SSEN's funding will be used to make a financial contribution if the works required to improve a property are outside of the available conditions of Warmworks' grant funding. For example, it will be used to help people clear their lofts or get rooms ready for installations where difficult or extensive preparatory work is required.
Mrs Walker, said: "It was lovely to welcome the Minister and people from Warmworks and SSEN into my home to show them the real benefits I have received from the programme. My home is now warmer and I am more comfortable and it has made such a difference to me. My granddaughter made me aware of the scheme and I would encourage anybody else who needs assistance to apply."
Lisa Doogan, Director of Customer Relationships at SSEN, said: "While some of our customers have qualified for assistance through Warmworks to make their homes warmer and safer they were unable to pay for the additional work that is sometimes required. Our new fund will ensure that our customers who are impacted by fuel poverty may be able to receive this help, which could result in them saving up to £400 on their fuel bill annually. In the next five years our £100,000 investment will deliver nearly £500,000 of cumulative benefits and savings to our customers."
Ross Armstrong, Contract Director at Warmworks, said: "We are delighted to have launched this innovative partnership with SSEN, which will make a huge difference to some of our most vulnerable customers. We are already helping thousands of customers every year under Warmer Homes Scotland to lower their bills and stay warm and this additional support will give many more people an opportunity to benefit from a more energy efficient home."
Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: "The Scottish Government is committed to stamping out fuel poverty, and schemes like Warmer Homes Scotland give vulnerable households access to even more measures to make their homes energy efficient.
"This new partnership between Warmworks and SSEN shows what can be done to tackle inequalities and help make homes warmer, cheaper and easier to heat. Not only does it help vulnerable customers carry out work to enable energy efficiency measures to be put into their homes, but it helps them get access to the scheme in the first place."
Warmworks will make all decisions regarding fund allocation and SSEN will have no input on which customers receive assistance.