AgilityEco supports CosyDevon to deliver grants to local residents struggling to pay their energy bills, as part of DECC’s £25million Central Heating Fund

Following the recent announcement that AgilityEco client, CosyDevon, received a substantial share of DECC’s £25 million Central Heating Fund (CHF), AgilityEco is pleased to report that significant progress has been made to reach struggling families without central heating. With one in ten households in the South-West currently in fuel poverty*, the CosyDevon initiative will save 400 eligible families up to £1000 per year.

The Central Heating Fund competition opened in March 2015 and winning bids were announced on 2 September 2015. Proposals had to demonstrate how their plans would support local people living in homes that don’t currently enjoy the efficiency and comfort of central heating. 

AgilityEco, with assistance from National Energy Action (NEA), prepared a winning bid alongside CosyDevon, an existing partnership of nine councils in Devon. Competing with a total of 81 bids from over 100 local authorities, AgilityEco helped ensure the CosyDevon proposal presented compelling arguments on a range of value-for-money solutions for fuel-poor households to enjoy central heating for the first time. The proposal also outlined support and outreach to those struggling with the cost of connecting to the mains gas grid. Only 20 of the bids from local authorities across England won a share of the £25 million fund. AgilityEco submitted two bids in total for the CHF award – one for CosyDevon and the other for the East Riding of Yorkshire Council – both were successful in achieving funding, making this a double win for AgilityEco.

The CosyDevon Central Heating Fund is now underway with AgilityEco managing the call centre to deal with potential applicants. With over 130 applicants so far, the CosyDevon scheme is well on track to reach all 400 households by the end of August.

Gearóid Lane, CEO, AgilityEco, said:
“Having worked with a number of local authorities and housing associations to secure funding from government sources in the past, we’re absolutely delighted that our bid for CosyDevon won a significant amount of money to help those living in poorly heated homes. The funds will go a long way to helping these fuel-poor families to save on heating bills by installing new, efficient central heating systems. We’re making excellent progress in reaching these families and ensuring that local residents are aware that funding is available to help them. This win for AgilityEco reinforces our excellent track record of tapping into innovative funding streams for our partners.”

Cllr Humphrey Clemens, Teignbridge District Council’s Executive spokesman for Housing and Planning, said: 
“We’re delighted that the innovative plan by a partnership of eight Devon Councils was amongst a small number selected by Government for funding under the Central Heating Fund. The £1 million we have secured from Government will enable us to reach more than 400 of our most hard-pressed homes, helping them save anything up to £1,000 per year on keeping their homes warm.”
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* Fuel Poverty Statistics, NEA: http://www.nea.org.uk/media/fuel-poverty-statistics/

Notes to editors

About AgilityEco
AgilityEco combines unrivalled knowledge of residential carbon reduction policy in the UK with deep technical and commercial know-how to deliver innovative, cost effective energy saving projects in both the public and private sectors. 

About CosyDevon
CosyDevon is an energy saving scheme launched in July 2014 by nine local councils, working in partnership with E.ON. It is investing up to £9 million in improving homes across Devon. Devon home owners, private landlords and private tenants can apply for free home energy saving improvements. Applicants do not have to be E.ON customers. Delivered in partnership with E.ON, one of the UK’s leading energy companies, CosyDevon is offering subsidised insulation and heating measures for Devon’s homes. The scheme is funded by E.ON through the Energy Companies Obligation (ECO).  Applicants do not have to be E.ON customers to be eligible for the CosyDevon scheme. CosyDevon’s scheme will be running until 31 March 2017. It is offering free cavity wall insulation, free loft insulation (where there is no insulation in the loft) and free loft 'top-ups' to eligible applicants in many areas. The scheme is also funding replacement boilers for people on certain benefits where the boiler is either broken or is over eight years old and assistance towards external wall insulation. These measures apply to private tenanted properties and owner occupier accommodation but not social landlords.