This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Central heating scheme extended
21/09/2001
The Executive is to accelerate its free central heating
scheme and extend it to provide more people with
whole-house heating systems.
Jackie Baillie, Minister for Social Justice, announced
the changes to the scheme during a visit with First
Minister Henry McLeish to the Dundee home of one of the
pensioners to benefit from it.
The First Minister said:
"This is further evidence that the Executive is working
to improve people's lives - Social Justice is at the very
heart of Executive policy. This more than fulfils our
pledge to ensure that all local council and housing
association tenants and pensioners in public and private
housing will be provided with warm dry homes through the
installation of central heating and insulation by
2006."
Ms Baillie said:
"I am delighted that we are able to bring forward the
completion date of the scheme. This will mean that all
local authority tenants eligible for the scheme will
receive central heating by April 2004 and all tenants of
Housing Associations will receive it during 2004.
"As a result of this, we will be able in years four and
five of the scheme to upgrade houses with only partial
central heating to whole-house heating systems. In taking
forward this work, I will ask local authorities to give
priority to elderly and disabled households.
"Based on current projections, I expect that an
additional 20,000 households will benefit. If additional
resources become available later in the programme, then we
will consider which other vulnerable groups should benefit
from the scheme.
"The main benefits of the programme will be warmer
houses, lower fuel bills, fewer damp houses and a reduced
threat to health from exposure to cold and damp."
BAKCGROUND
1. The Scottish Executive's Central Heating Programme
provides central heating, insulation and advice. It is
available to all households in local authority and housing
association stock who currently lack central heating. It is
also available to all households in the private sector who
lack central heating
and where the householder or spouse is aged 60 or
over. From 2004 the scope of the programme will be widened
to cover local authority houses with partial central
heating. Local authorities will receive resources to
upgrade them by providing whole-house systems.
2. The programme is administered by local authorities
and housing associations for their own stock and by Eaga
Partnership Ltd. for the private sector: home owners and
private renters.
3. The aims of the programme are to tackle fuel poverty;
improve comfort; reduce CO
2 emissions; protect health; protect the
condition of the housing stock and provide employment
opportunities for those taking part in the New Deal, who
will help install the measures.
4. The Central Heating Programme will provide a package
worth £2,500 on average. The package is:
- a central heating system
- loft, tank and pipe insulation, cavity wall
insulation, and draughtproofing, in each case where
appropriate
- advice on how to use the heating system and on best
use of energy and budgeting
- a carbon monoxide detector (except where the
heating system is electric); a mains linked smoke
detector and a cold alarm
- a check of entitlement to state benefit
5. Work has already begun in local authority and housing
association stock and last week Eaga sent application forms
to over 5,500 households who have registered an interest in
the Programme. Works will begin in the private sector as
soon as possible after the application forms are
returned.