Affordable warmth grants to help the most vulnerable this winter in Burnley

The council has been awarded £88,000 by Lancashire County Council as part of the national Affordable Warmth grants scheme.

A report to the council’s executive member for housing and development control Coun. John Harbour said the aim was to provide high impact “interventions” to protect the most vulnerable residents from harm due to having to live in cold and damp homes.

Coun. Harbour said: “This grant scheme is very welcome and is one of a number of measures being put in place to try and support the most vulnerable and least well-off people in our communities in these difficult times.

“The council is also looking at other ways it can support residents by working with partners such as Burnley Together and the Cosy Homes in Lancashire (CHiL) programme.”

The funding will be used to provide measures such as boiler servicing, draught proofing, fuel top-up payments and replacing defective windows and doors.

The scheme will be delivered through the council’s recently launched home improvement agency which will target the grants to the most vulnerable residents on the lowest incomes who meet the eligibility criteria.

As there is limited funding available applications will be addressed in date order. For further information please visit the website www.burnley.gov.uk/housing/home-improvement/; email [email protected]; or phone 01282 477234.

The council is also proposing to increase the level of subsidy to 100% for eligible working age claimants for one year only to help alleviate some of the financial hardship caused by the current national cost-of-living crisis.