County chiefs commit £1m to warming homes

District councils are now being urged to apply for a share of the fund to provide affordable warmth measures for the most vulnerable.

Coun Azhar Ali, the county council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “Family energy bills have risen by almost £300 since this Government came to power in 2010. While they have consistently cut funding to tackle fuel poverty the Labour party in Lancashire has committed a million pounds over the next two years to support affordable warmth for the most vulnerable in our local communities.

“We know that when vulnerable residents live in consistently cold and damp conditions they are at increased risk of significant negative health impacts.

“Cold homes themselves are strongly associated with excess winter death and the exacerbation of cardiovascular diseases and it is in all of our interests to ensure that we support those most at risk.

“We will continue to invest in preventative measures to support the most vulnerable in Lancashire and to stand up for the families and individuals in our county who have been let down by a Government that has left them £1,600 a year worse off than they were in 2010.”

Councils are being invited to apply for funding to reach residents who are most at risk of the harm from cold homes.

The fund is aimed at providing resources such as boiler servicing, repair and replacement, fuel debt and benefit advice and emergency heating provision following the end of the Government’s Warm House Healthy People funding.