Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats

3100 homes in Montgomeryshire missing out on energy savings, says Lembit Öpik MP

MP urges constituents to call the Home Heat Helpline on 0800 33 66 99 for their free Little Book of Energy advice booklet

3100 households in Montgomeryshire could be missing out on savings of up to £250 a year on the energy bills because they are failing to claim free insulation grants to which they are entitled, local MP Lembit Öpik warned today.

Mr Öpik is urging residents to call the Home Heat Helpline on 0800 33 66 99 to see if they are eligible for assistance, and to request their free copy of the 'Little Book of Energy' advice booklet.

The launch of the Little Book of Energy comes as research shows residents could save around £150 a year on their heating bills by insulating their lofts and another £115 a year with cavity wall insulation.

Lembit Öpik said, "The Little Book of Energy is a valuable resource to help families save money and keep warm this winter, and is now available for free to all residents across Montgomeryshire. The advice booklet provides you with tips for making your home more energy efficient, and provides valuable information about free grants for insulation and assistance available to help reduce your heating bills."

The research, conducted for the Home Heat Helpline by independent think tank, the New Policy Institute (NPI), found there are 3.6 million eligible households across the country that missing out on free help. The 3100 homes in Montgomeryshire which are missing out, account for around 12% of all local homes.

Lembit Öpik said, "These free grants for insulation could provide a lifeline for 3100 families in Montgomeryshire as it gets colder through the winter months. I am urging every resident to call the Home Heat Helpline today to request their free Little Book of Energy advice booklet and make sure they are not one of the people missing out."

The NPI research highlights low income households claiming either out-of-work or disability benefits, working tax credit or pension credit, who could benefit from the insulation grants. In addition, anyone over the age of 70 can apply for the free grants, regardless of whether they are claiming benefits or tax credits. The grants are provided under the CERT (Carbon Emission Reduction Target) scheme, which provides cavity wall or loft insulation for poorly insulated homes.

Christine McGourty, spokesperson for the Home Heat Helpline, joined Mr Öpik in calling for residents to find out if they are eligible. "This research shows the huge scale of unclaimed help that's out there on offer from energy suppliers," says Christine McGourty. "We have trained advisers who can help you get grants for insulation, special reduced tariffs as well as advice and support on how to keep warm and save money on your bills."

Anyone who is concerned about their fuel costs or those of a relative, neighbour or friend, should call the Home Heat Helpline free on 0800 33 66 99 to see if they are one of the Missing Millions.

Ends/diwedd

Notes:

The NPI research pinpoints where the Missing Millions are located up and down the country, enabling the Home Heat Helpline to see precisely which communities are most likely to gain from the assistance on offer.

A map showing where the Missing Millions are located across Great Britain is available on request. Individual maps for Scotland and Wales are also available. Maps above use data from Ordinance Survey. To reproduce the maps royalty-free, please contact Pauline Hand at Ordinance Survey on 023 8079 2251, or pressoffice@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

A full copy of the NPI report is available on request.

The New Policy Institute (NPI) was commissioned by the Home Heat Helpline to estimate the number of vulnerable households who could benefit from free CERT home insulation grants.

About the Home Heat Helpline

The Home Heat Helpline (0800 33 66 99) is a free, not for profit phone line set up by Britain's energy companies to help customers who are struggling to pay their energy bills and keep warm. Customers can also access the service online by visiting www.homeheathelpline.org.uk

The Helpline is managed by the Energy Retail Association and paid for by contributions from Britain's major energy suppliers. The service is backed by a range of support organisations including Age Concern / Help the Aged; Citizens Advice; National Energy Action; Energy Saving Trust; Counsel and Care and Gingerbread.

The Helpline's trained advisers can provide eligible customers with access to one or more of the following services:

· Free home insulation grants

· Reduced or 'social' tariffs

· The Priority Service Register which provides extra services for people who are elderly or disabled including bills in large text or Braille, security passwords and an annual gas safety check

· Flexible payment options for customers in fuel debt

· Benefits entitlement checks

The Energy Retail Association set up a Safety Net procedure in 2004 to make sure that no vulnerable customer in Britain is knowingly disconnected from their electricity or gas supply at any time of year.