Purpose

The purpose of the report is to seek approval to use the Knowsley Better Together Hardship Fund to extend the Council’s current Warm Homes Scheme to support at risk working age households who are unable to access other energy efficiency schemes to upgrade their current heating systems.  The extension of the scheme will be used to support the most at risk working age households.  The extension of the Warm Homes Scheme to working age households will support the Council’s current Boiler Winter Ready Scheme (also funded through the Knowsley Better Together Hardship Fund) in responding to situations where households current heating systems are beyond economical repair, and they cannot access other energy efficiency grant funding to resolve their heating situation.

Decision

That the Executive Director (Resources) in consultation with the Resources Cabinet Member is recommended to :

i)               Approve the re-allocation of £0.025m of the Knowsley Better Together Hardship Fund to extend the Council’s Warm Homes Scheme to working age households and endorse the approach to do this as outlined in this report.

That the  Executive Director (Regeneration and Economic Development) in consultation with the Regeneration and Economic Development Cabinet Member is recommended to:-

i)    Approve the Council’s Warm Homes Scheme to be extended to working age households who meet the eligibility criteria including household income, household composition and health factors.

ii)    Endorse the referral process into the extended Warm Homes Scheme through the current Boiler Winter Ready Scheme being delivered by Strategic Housing.

Alternative options considered

Not to extend the scheme to working age households – this may mean at risk households could face having heating systems that are not working or not working efficiently where they are not eligible for other energy efficiency support schemes such as the Energy Company Obligation Scheme Phase 4.