Warm Front Grant Event hosted by Vincent Cable, MP

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 15th Sep 2003

Dr Vince Cable MP wants to ensure 2400 Richmond upon Thames residents claim their Warm Front grant

254 Richmond upon Thames residents will enjoy a warmer winter thanks to a free government grant to improve the heating and insulation in their homes. However, another 2400 people in the borough who either own their home or rent it from a private landlord in the borough are thought to be eligible for a grant of up to £2,500 from the Warm Front Team.

Dr Vince Cable, MP for Twickenham, is hosting an event which has been set up by Eaga Partnership Ltd, managers of the Warm Front scheme, and the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. The seminar is being held at York House in Twickenham from 9.30am-1pm on Friday 3rd October 2003. The seminar of the event is to spread the word across community

organisations and health workers in the borough that residents could be missing out on FREE improved home insulation and heating.

On average, each home benefiting from a Warm Front grant can expect to save £179 a year on their fuel bills.

Dr Cable is concerned at the number of local residents who could be missing out. "It is important that we find the two thousand plus residents who are entitled to a grant. This seminar will involve the community in identifying vulnerable residents who may not feel able to access the grants themselves. Also, some people who have received grants

in the past may be confused about the new Warm Front scheme which covers additional measures to make homes even more energy-efficient."

Emma Jenkinson, Eaga Partnership's Network Liaison Officer, works closely with organisations across London to help promote Warm Front grants. "Warm Front grants are the nation's best kept secret! We rely on the involvement of local councils and community organisations to take the message that these grants exist into the homes of those people who most need them. The work undertaken in Richmond is a great example of the success that comes from community involvement."

To apply for a Warm Front grant, local residents can contact the Warm Front Team on FREEPHONE 0800 316 6019.

Ends

Notes to Editors

1. A social enterprise and an employee owned company; Eaga Partnership has assisted 5 million disadvantaged households throughout the UK since 1990. With current turnover approaching £200million, Eaga Partnership manages

programmes on behalf of central government, the devolved administrations, utilities and social housing providers.

2. The Warm Front scheme provides grants to owner-occupiers and tenants in privately rented properties. There are two levels of grant - Warm Front and Warm Front Plus.

3. The Warm Front grant provides a grant of up to £1,500 to pregnant women in possession of a MATB1 certificate or to householders with a child under the age of 16, receiving one or more of the following benefits: income support, housing benefit, council tax benefit, income based job seekers allowance. It also applies to householders who are receiving income

support (with a disability premium), housing benefit (with a disability premium), council tax benefit (with a disability premium), attendance allowance, disability living allowance, war disablement pension, child tax credit (maximum income £14,200 per year), working tax credit (maximum income £14,200 per year). The grant will provide a package of heating and insulation tailored to each property.

4. The Warm Front Plus grant provides a grant of up to £2,500 for people who are over 60 and receiving one or more of the following benefits: income support, council tax benefit, income based job seekers allowance, housing benefit. The grant will provide the measures offered under the Warm Front Grant and it may also offer gas or electric central heating systems.

5. The average fuel bill saving of £179 per year amongst Warm Front customers was calculated in a report entitled 'Warming up vulnerable households - an evaluation of the Eaga Warm Front programme and its effects on fuel poverty' by Bill Wilkinson, published in March 2003.

6. Anyone wishing to apply for a grant should ring freephone 0800 316 6019.

7. Estimates of the number of eligible residents is the district have been derived from a model developed by Experien, which profiles the residents in an area and estimates the numbers who potentially meet the Warm Front grant criteria.