Energy suppliers to increase efficiency investment to £3.5 billion - 02/07/2009
More pressure is to be piled onto UK energy companies with investment in cheap energy methods to reach £3.5 billion within four years.
A Community Energy Saving Programme (Cesp) will work alongside the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (Cert) that already exists in order to help low-income families pursue radical energy efficiency changes in their homes and save around £330 a year.
The programme has been designed to benefit around 90,000 homes and energy companies will have to work alongside community groups and local authorities.
Joan Ruddock, minister of state in the Department of Energy and Climate Change, said: "Community-level solutions are the key to fighting climate change and the roll-out of Cesp later this year will teach us valuable lessons in how to provide help to every home in every street."
One of the major changes to Cert is that most of the efficiency funding be will be channelled to families living on a low income or to elderly people, as they are most likely to be suffering from fuel poverty.
Many families are thought to have suffered from multiple price rises from energy companies last year.
If you want to find out more about gas and electricity and how you could save up to £378 in minutes, click here.
Save up to £300 on your gas & electricity bills at energyhelpline.com
Compare prices from all energy suppliers to find your best deal