The number of Haringey residents taking advantage of grants to keep their homes warm has increased more than five-fold in just one year following a campaign by Haringey Council. 

New figures show 1,683 households successfully applied for a Warm Front grant scheme in April to December 2007, compared to 316 in the same period in 2006. That equates to an extra £1.5million of heating and insulation improvements at the homes of some of the borough’s most vulnerable residents. 

The major increase follows a wholesale publicity campaign by the council, including special roadshows, posters and lamp post banners. Haringey also wrote to more than 30,000 potentially eligible residents last autumn to encourage them to take up the scheme. The council also highlighted issues of home heating and insulation by commissioning an aerial survey of Haringey in March last year and publishing an online map showing heat loss from every property in the borough. The map can be found at www.haringey.gov.uk/homeheatloss.htm. 

The Warm Front grants, which are funded by the government and available to residents on a range of benefits, can help pay for improvements such as loft insulation, draughtproofing of doors and windows, heating installation and heating repairs. This is aimed at tackling fuel poverty, where households are spending more than 10 per cent of their income on heating bills.  

Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Isidoros Diakides, said: “It is unacceptable that anyone should have to suffer ill-health or a poor quality of life because they cannot afford to heat their homes properly. “I’m pleased that far more of our residents have picked on our publicity and have made successful applications for Warm Front grants. The beauty of this initiative is that, whilst helping some of the most vulnerable people it also makes a significant contribution to our Greenest Borough strategy, whilst costing very little to our council tax payers. “But we know that many more people in Haringey could be eligible for this help and we will continue to do all we can to promote the grants available.” A further benefit of the grants is that better energy efficiency will help the council in its drive to tackle climate change at a local level. More details about Warm Front can be found at www.warmfront.co.uk. You can also find out more by calling the EAGA Partnership, which runs the scheme, on 0800 316 2805.

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Notes for editors For more information call Jonathan Lawn, Senior Communications Officer, on 020 8489 2980. 

1. The letters were sent by the council all residents who receive Council Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit and who either own their own home or rent from a private landlord.  Eight thousand householders who rent from housing associations were also included in the mailout as, although not eligible for the Warm Front Scheme, they may be eligible for free home insulation and home security products through a ‘here to HELP scheme.   The Warm Front scheme offers up to £2,700 towards: 

•           Loft insulation

•           Draughtproofing around windows and doors

•           Cavity wall insulation

•           Hot water tank insulation

•           Installation of gas, electric or oil central heating (a grant of up to £4,000 is available for oil central heating)

•           Repairs to existing heating systems

•           Conversion of solid-fuel open fire to a glass-fronted fire Haringey may also contribute a further £2,000 in some cases, meaning people could receive up to £4,700 to help them keep warm. In addition, anyone receiving a grant will receive two free energy-efficient lightbulbs and free energy efficiency advice..

 The scheme is available to anyone who both owns their property or rents from a private landlord and 

•           Is aged 60 or over and in receipt of pension credit, council tax benefit, housing benefit or income-based Job Seekers Allowance

•           Is pregnant or has children under 16 and in receipt of income-based Job Seekers Allowance, council tax benefit, income support, housing benefit or pension credit

•           Is in receipt of means tested benefits Housing association tenants can find out more about the Here to HELP scheme by calling Baring Insulation on 0800 833 826.