Funding boost to help home energy efficiency

More than £3m is to be spent improving homes in South Yorkshire to make them more energy efficient.

Barnsley Council's cabinet is expected to approve the acceptance of two major government grants on Wednesday in a bid to tackle fuel poverty and cut carbon emissions.

The money will support improvements in hundreds of private and council-owned properties across the borough over the next three years.

A report to the council cabinet says tackling cold homes will also help to reduce health issues such as respiratory and heart problems.

The council secured £1.5m from the warm homes local grant to upgrade private homes, and the same amount from the social housing decarbonisation fund for council housing.

The money, from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, aims to support people living in or at risk of fuel poverty by reducing bills.

It will pay for upgrades including loft insulation, new doors, LED lighting, solar panels and air source heat pumps.

A minimum of 160 council homes will be upgraded through the scheme, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said, with funding matched by the council's housing revenue account.

Properties will be targeted in clusters based on deprivation levels, fuel poverty data and the current energy ratings of homes, the local authority said.

Officers will work with the Berneslai Homes housing association and local contractors to engage with residents and encourage participation.

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