Green cashback scheme for social landlords given £5m boost

The HEEPS: Cashback - Social Landlords Scheme forms part of the Scottish Government’s £119m budget for fuel poverty and energy efficiency in 2015/16, and means social landlords can apply for up to £250,000 in funding to help drive down the cost of tenants’ fuel bills.

The cash will help meet the cost of installing measures, such as solid wall insulation or hard-to-treat cavity wall insulation, in their housing stock

Under last year’s scheme 24 social landlords across Scotland received funding to improve over 1,600 properties across Scotland.

The scheme will open to applications on Monday, June 8.

Announcing the funding at the annual Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) conference yesterday, housing minister Margaret Burgess said: “Housing is, and will remain, at the heart of the Government’s ambitions to create a fairer and more prosperous country.

“A supply of high quality housing stock and introducing energy efficiency measures stimulates economic growth, provides jobs and strengthens communities and tackles inequality.

“It is clear that energy efficiency measures can make a huge difference to families who are struggling to make ends meet.

“The cashback scheme is aimed at saving householder’s money by reducing their heating bills and will also cut carbon emissions.”

David Stewart, policy manger at the SFHA, added: “The SFHA welcomes this funding which is a step in the right direction. Investing in domestic energy efficiency is vital if Scotland is to start to address the scourge of fuel poverty and to work towards meeting our ambitious climate change targets.”