Put their cash in your attic say Greens
This means many older people, families and people with long-term health problems will miss out on much-needed help.
Warm Front has seen a dramatic decline in applications for help this year. In April to December 2011 there were 3355 applications in the South West a 68% fall from the 10,455 in 2011. The scheme was oversubscribed in 2010 but funding was cut by almost two thirds this year.[2]
The Warm Front scheme - which offers heating and insulation improvements to households living on low incomes - is expected to see up to a fifth of its £143 million worth of funding for this year going unclaimed.[1] This money could help up to 16,000 households in England struggling to afford their energy bills to cut their costs by a potential £650 per year.
A combination of factors are likely to have led to this fall in applications. The eligibility criteria were made stricter and the Government did not advertise the scheme as it was anticipated demand would again exceed supply. The milder winter weather may mean not as many people have been driven towards the scheme, but it is also seems that the number of advice organisations referring people to the scheme must have dropped significantly. They are likely to have been concerned people would end up not getting the grant given eligibility restrictions and the much smaller funding pot.
Along with Consumer Focus and National Energy Action the Greens are urging people to put in a claim now before the funding for this year ends on 31 March. People on certain income-related benefits and living in homes that are poorly insulated or do not have a working central heating system are eligible for Warm Front grants. Anyone who is eligible for Cold Weather Payments can claim the grant such as: older people receiving pension credit; families with a child under five and in receipt of Income Support, Income Related Employment and Support Allowance or income based Jobseeker's Allowance; and people with higher rate disability premiums.
Emma Pruen of the South West Green Party said
There are thousands in the South West living in fuel poverty, and we urge anyone who might be eligible to put in a claim now. With spiralling fuel prices we want to ensure all those who could get help making their homes warmer and cheaper to heat, do apply before the end of March deadline. Insulating your home will continue to benefit you long after the grants run out.
Full details of who can claim help under the Warm Front scheme and how to apply are available on Directgov - www.direct.gov.uk/warmfront People can apply for the scheme online, by post, or by phone on 0800 316 6004 (or textphone 0800 072 0156), Monday-Friday 8.00am - 6.00pm and Saturday 9.00-5.00pm.
Contact
Emma Pruen
South West Green Party Media Co-ordinator
07508 920583
Factfile
There are now likely to be almost 7 million households living in fuel poverty in the UK (Estimates on behalf of Consumer Focus using Centre for Sustainable Energy research). This is up from 5.5 million in 2009 (the latest official Government figures).
The average energy bill is now £1,289, which will fall to £1,258 after all the recent price cuts announced come into effect.
Notes
Warm Front is the only UK Government funded scheme to tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency. The Warm Front Grant applies in England only.
1. The total budget of £143m consists of £110m allocated to Warm Front and associated activities secured through the Spending Review 2010. Of this, £108m was directly allocated to Warm Front. In addition DECC allocated £25m to support the completion of outstanding work from 2010/11 with a further £10m allocated to Warm Front in 2011/12 from the Department of Health.
2. Funding for the Warm Front scheme in 2010-11 was £366m - almost three times the level of funding for this year 2011-12.
Tweet
South West Green Party RSS Feed 
