Households in South Lakeland and Eden will get an extra helping hand to cut their energy bills thanks to a funding boost for Cumbria Action for Sustainability.
CAfS is expanding support for households wanting to make energy-saving home improvements or fit solar panels, after successful bids to the government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, via South Lakeland and Eden district councils.
The funding of £92,294 in South Lakeland and £9,171 in Eden means we will be able to reach even more households through our Cold to Cosy Homes Cumbria draughtproofing and advice service, as well as expanding our support and advice service for people retrofitting their homes to make them warmer, cheaper to heat and to reduce their carbon footprint.
It will also allow us to extend our Solar Made Easy scheme in South Lakeland, which supports households wanting to install solar panels.
The funding means an extra 150 households in South Lakeland and 15 in Eden will benefit from support by CAfS by the end of March this year. It’s a very welcome and timely boost for our Cold to Cosy Homes Cumbria service in particular, given the surge in demand for our help as people struggle with rising energy bills and the wider cost of living crisis.
Andrew Northcott, who heads up our energy services, said:
“This is great news about funding for Cold to Cosy Homes Cumbria and means we can now provide more home energy advice visits to households in South Lakeland and Eden this winter. This advice will help many households who are affected so substantially by the energy price crisis.”
CAfS’ low-carbon communities manager Molly Hogg, who leads our Solar Made Easy scheme, said:
“We’re very grateful for the ongoing funding and support that we’ve received from South Lakeland District Council. This additional boost from the Shared Prosperity Fund will allow us to build on our pilot Solar Made Easy project and help accelerate solar panel installations in other communities in South Lakeland.”
CAfS is currently supporting nearly ninety households to get quotations and place orders with solar panel installers in Ambleside, Kendal, Keswick, Arnside, Levens and Duddon Valley. Plans are well under way to extend the support to Penrith, Ulverston and a cluster of villages in the Greysouthen area, with more communities to follow soon. The project has helped people overcome some of the barriers to installing solar panels.
“We’re able to give people advice, answer their questions and help them decide whether solar is right for them, as well as connecting them with local vetted installers,” Molly said. “It’s quite difficult for people to get quotes now as demand is high. We’re able to make these installations more attractive and efficient for installers by grouping them at a community level and doing some of the upfront work for them.”
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