Homes upgrade for struggling households welcomed

An energy charity said thousands of people in the West Midlands contacted them every month looking for help to pay their bills.

Act On Energy said it welcomed a £167m scheme by West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker to upgrade up to 10,000 of the oldest and coldest social and privately-owned homes in the region to make them warmer and cheaper to run.

An estimated 254,000 West Midlands households are in fuel poverty - one of the highest rates in the country, the mayor's office said.

Peter Forrest, programme director for Act On Energy, said about 20,000 people sought their support each year and warned there were probably many more out there in need of help.

The funding will pay for homes to be fitted with insulation, new doors and windows, solar panels, and state-of-the-art greener and smarter heating systems, Parker said.

It will help residents with the cost of living by having more energy-efficient homes and cut their fuel usage.

Mr Forrest said the scheme was "a fantastic opportunity" for those struggling across the West Midlands.

"I almost worry we can't help everybody. We know we're getting thousands of calls every month from people struggling all the time," he said.

"We get probably around 20,000 people a year, and there's more out there we can help.

"We've got people on the ground out in this area and across the West Midlands, and they are going into people's homes and are going to help thousands of people.

"That can be short-term. What this scheme will do is help us give long-term help to householders so we don't just help them this winter but we will help them for future years."

Councillor Peter Hughes, Sandwell Council's cabinet member for regeneration and infrastructure, said: "We're determined to tackle fuel poverty and climate change head-on.

"By making homes more energy efficient, we will provide the vital assistance that our residents need."

The scheme is the West Midlands Combined Authority's (WMCA) largest-ever home energy efficiency upgrade programme.

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This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.