Council receives £1million funding to help tackle fuel poverty in Rugby

A £1million grant will help more than 100 homes in Rugby with fuel poverty rates above the national average.

It means Rugby Borough Council can push ahead with plans to fit external wall insulation to homes in Long Lawford and Rokeby.

The council has match-funded the Government grant to ensure the work can be carried out free of charge for tenants, with the project being delivered by the council in partnership with energy firm E.ON.

The 112 Wimpey No-Fines properties were built in the 1950s and have low energy performance due to solid wall construction using 'no-fines' concrete - a concrete containing no sand or similar small particles.

Fitting external wall insulation reduces energy consumption and maximises a home's suitability for low carbon heating in the future.

Fuel poverty in Long Lawford currently stands at 19 per cent, while in Rokeby it stands at 20 per cent - compared to the national average of 13.2 per cent.

Cllr Tim Willis, Rugby Borough Council portfolio holder for communities, homes, digital and communications, said the grant from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund supported the council's rolling programme of improvements to its housing stock.

"This £1.086 million grant, match-funded by the council, means we can make homes cheaper to heat and more energy efficient, saving our tenants money on energy bills while supporting the climate change goals set out in our Corporate Strategy, which include an ambition to reduce the carbon footprint of our housing stock by 2027.”

Work will start later this year.