Minister’s Warm Front message to flood victims
Floods Recovery Minister John Healey MP has appealed to Rotherham households still recovering from last year’s downpours not to miss out on heating and insulation grants which may be available to them through Warm Front.
The Government-funded Scheme, delivered by green support services company eaga, provides up to £2,700 for home energy efficiency improvements to those on qualifying benefits.
Such financial support could prove a lifeline to those who had their heating or insulation damaged during last year’s floods.
The MP for Wentworth delivered his Warm Front message while backing a recent eaga-led initiative to supply packs of absorbent FloodSax, which can act as an effective first line of defence, to all previously flooded homes in the Catcliffe area of Rotherham.
Warm Front can contribute towards the cost of repairing an existing heating system or installing a new one. It also provides loft and cavity wall insulation and draught proofing.
To qualify for help residents must own their property or rent from a private landlord and be in receipt of a qualifying benefit.
Since June 2005 more than 3,260 households in Rotherham, Wentworth and the Rother Valley have received help from the Warm Front Scheme worth more than £4 million.
Mr Healey said: “Last summer's floods caused misery for thousands of people with widespread damage across large parts of the country. Rotherham was particularly badly hit and the big clean up is still very much underway for many homes, businesses and schools here. Better heating and insulation could be an extremely useful part of this recovery process and I would urge anyone who feels they may qualify for help from Warm Front to apply. The Scheme is making a huge difference to the quality of peoples’ lives by making their homes warmer, dryer and more affordable to heat.”
Ashley Guise, from eaga, added: “The floods of 2007 may seem a long time ago now but the memory is still very fresh for local residents and it is important to let them know that help may still be available. A call to Warm Front could bring some genuine and welcome relief – especially for those who may not have had sufficient insurance cover to replace damaged heating systems.”
On the anniversary of last year’s floods, eaga supplied complimentary FloodSax to all 180 properties in Catcliffe hit by the floods.
Mr Guise added: “Initially we had intended to offer these FloodSax exclusively to our Warm Front customers, but after teaming up with Rotherham MBC and Catcliffe Parish Council it made perfect sense to issue them to all affected homes in this area.”
Designed to be compact, lightweight and easily stored in the house, FloodSax are about the size of a small pillow but can hold up to 22 litres of water. They are light enough for the elderly or frail to use an can be stored for up to five years, considerably longer than sandbags which start to break down and become useless after just a few months.
For more information on Warm Front and to check eligibility please call the free phone help line on 0800 072 9006 or log on to www.warmfront.co.uk.
Ends
Picture caption John Healey MP (left) and eaga’s Ashley Guise handing FloodSax to Catcliffe residents and Warm Front customers Michael and Joyce Gill.
Joyce Gill said: “We have just had loft and cavity wall insulation through Warm Front. It was very easy to arrange and there was no fuss or mess. I’m also really pleased we’ve go it done now, well in time for next winter and in time for any more fuel bill rises. I would certainly recommend it to anyone else who qualifies.”
Notes to editors
- eaga plc is a green support services and outsourcing company. It is also the UK’s largest residential energy efficiency provider.
- eaga was established in Newcastle in 1990 and operates across the UK and in the Republic of Ireland, India and Canada. It employs over 4,000 people.
- eaga works in partnership with central and local Government, all six major energy suppliers, local authorities, social housing providers and is increasing its share of the able-to-pay private market.
- Since its inception, eaga has made a positive difference to over 5 million disadvantaged households across the UK, by installing energy efficiency insulation and central heating.
- eaga holds the contract to deliver the £1.5 billion Warm Front programme in England, the cornerstone of government's target to eliminate fuel poverty.
- eaga was recently appointed by the BBC to deliver the Digital Switchover Help Scheme to ensure eligible households can receive help making the switch from analogue to digital.
- eaga is committed to co-ownership and is one of only a handful of UK organisations where every employee with over a year’s service is entitled to a share in the success of the business.
- Since 2000, eaga has invested over £3 million in the independent eaga Partnership Charitable Trust which funds research into solutions to fuel poverty.
For further information please contact:
Rik Kendall
Media Relations Manager
0191 245 8342
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