The government’s Warm Front scheme has opened its doors once again to heating oil users who are finding it difficult to make ends meet. Representatives of the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) have suggested the initiative is accessible to more than 90,000 households that are deemed to be blighted by fuel poverty.

“Next year we will be launching the Green Deal, the government’s national overhaul of home energy efficiency, which will provide extra help to vulnerable households,” he remarked.

What is the Warm Front scheme?

The Warm Front scheme makes your home warmer, healthier and more energy efficient

The Warm Front scheme provides heating and insulation improvements to households on certain income-related benefits living in properties that are poorly insulated and/or do not have a working central heating system.

Qualifying households can get improvements worth up to £3,500 (£6,000 where oil central heating and other alternative technologies are recommended).

Grants are available for improvements such as:

glass-fronted fire – the Warm Front scheme can convert your solid-fuel open fire to a glass-fronted fire

You won’t have to pay anything as long as the work doesn’t cost more than the grant available. If the cost of the work is more than the grant available you’ll have to make a contribution to enable work to go ahead. Work will not start without making sure you are willing and able to pay the difference.

The Warm Front scheme installs insulation and heating improvements to make homes more energy efficient. The scheme now has a new set of eligibility criteria and will be accepting new applications from 14 April 2011 so don’t delay, apply today to cut your fuel bills in 2011.