Telford & Wrekin Council announces additional £500,000 investment to support residents with rising energy costs

Households across the borough are expected to see a significant increase in their gas and electricity bills from tomorrow as energy prices soar.

The council is expanding its energy top up grant offer to enable the most vulnerable residents to access measures to improve energy efficiency and support renewable energy measures which government funds don’t cover.

£500,000 in capital will be used from the existing climate change programme to support residents and progress the council’s aspiration for the Telford and Wrekin borough to be carbon neutral by 2030.

Vulnerable residents will continue to benefit from the energy grant top-ups where they have previously been expected to make a contribution and grants of up to £5000 are available for those who qualify.  

Measures include all types of insulation and, for a limited period, also includes replacement boilers and even full central heating systems.  

In the last 12 months, the council has won funding of over £3 million to deliver energy efficiency measures to those hardest hit by rising costs.  

This will directly benefit over 900 households who will also receive advice and support from the council’s energy advice service delivered through the Telford Energy Advice Centre hotline.

As well as targeted support for some of the most disadvantaged communities as part of the Council’s Safer Stronger Communities programme, there has also been an open offer to households across the borough to access insulation measures. 

From April every household in Telford and Wrekin in council tax bands A to D will also receive a £150 payment towards the costs of living which doesn’t have to be paid back.

For residents that pay by direct debit the money will automatically be transferred into their accounts and for those that don’t they can make a claim to make sure they receive the money back.

Councillor Richard Overton (Lab), Telford & Wrekin Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing, Enforcement and Transport said:

“We remain committed to supporting our residents with the rising costs of energy and this additional investment highlights that.

“This extra funding will help the most vulnerable households in our neighbourhoods with energy efficiency measures.

“We have been supporting residents throughout the winter months with a variety of schemes and we will continue to do whatever we can to help make their homes more energy efficient and to reduce costs.”

You can find out more about the local and national energy support which is available here.