Home insulation offer could be widened

Rother cabinet will be recommended on June 10 by director of services Tony Leonard to widen the scope of the scheme.

He is warning in a risk assessment for members that there is a need to use the 80,000 allocated for the scheme in order to ensure full use of a Regional Housing Board private sector renewal capital award received by Rother.

The district council agreed in April 2007 to allocate the cash from the award to an insulation grant scheme for the elderly.

Under the scheme, the council funds loft and cavity wall insulation for householders over 60.

But this is limited to those living in homes in Council Tax bands A to D and who have savings of less than 15,000.

The programme is administered under the Headstreets scheme operated by the utility company E.ON and does not incur any management costs on Rother.

The Headsteets scheme started in February and has so far achieved more than 300 referrals. There are around 30 surveyors working in the district at present.

Mr Leonard says: "The Headstreets Scheme is not publicised because it works by targeting areas with letters followed by a visit from a surveyor.

"However, the position has significantly changed and without notice.

"The Government has allowed utility companies to fully fund all householders over 70 (no financial or Council Tax band restrictions).

"This severely reduces the council's over-60s target group to those aged 60-69.

"In order to increase take-up of council-funded grants, it is recommended that the Council Tax band and financial savings restrictions are removed.

"This has also been requested by the surveyors in the field to bring the council's scheme in line with the E.ON-funded over-70 scheme.

"The 60-69 council-funded group scheme will mirror the over-70 scheme if the savings cap and Council Tax band restriction is removed,

"This will make the scheme easier to manage. The key priority is to maximise the number of lofts and cavity walls insulated. However, there is always the possibility that a person able to pay and aged between 60 and 69 will benefit from council funding. This also applies to the over-70 scheme and schemes like the winter fuel allowance.

"The cost of administering full checks outweighs the fact that a person who can afford to pay themselves may benefit."

COUNCIL tax banding and savings restrictions could be removed in a bid to increase the take-up on a home insulation scheme for the over-60s.

Rother cabinet will be recommended on Monday by director of services Tony Leonard to widen the scope of the scheme.

He is warning in a risk assessment for members that there is a need to use the 80,000 allocated for the scheme in order to ensure full use of a Regional Housing Board private sector renewal capital award received by Rother.

The district council agreed in April 2007 to allocate the cash from the award to an insulation grant scheme for the elderly.

Under the scheme, the council funds loft and cavity wall insulation for householders over 60.

But this is limited to those living in homes in Council Tax bands A to D and who have savings of less than 15,000.

The programme is administered under the Headstreets scheme operated by the utility company E.ON and does not incur any management costs on Rother.

The Headsteets scheme started in February and has so far achieved more than 300 referrals. There are around 30 surveyors working in the district at present.

Mr Leonard says: "The Headstreets Scheme is not publicised because it works by targeting areas with letters followed by a visit from a surveyor.

"However, the position has significantly changed and without notice.

"The Government has allowed utility companies to fully fund all householders over 70 (no financial or Council Tax band restrictions).

"This severely reduces the council's over-60s target group to those aged 60-69.

"In order to increase take-up of council-funded grants, it is recommended that the Council Tax band and financial savings restrictions are removed.

"This has also been requested by the surveyors in the field to bring the council's scheme in line with the E.ON-funded over-70 scheme.

"The 60-69 council-funded group scheme will mirror the over-70 scheme if the savings cap and Council Tax band restriction is removed,

"This will make the scheme easier to manage. The key priority is to maximise the number of lofts and cavity walls insulated. However, there is always the possibility that a person able to pay and aged between 60 and 69 will benefit from council funding. This also applies to the over-70 scheme and schemes like the winter fuel allowance.

"The cost of administering full checks outweighs the fact that a person who can afford to pay themselves may benefit."