Maidenhead & Windsor

Maidenhead Royal Borough residents are being offered the opportunity to have £50 credited to their council tax bill if they install discounted cavity wall insulation in a scheme run by British Gas.

The Maidenhead council is committed to fighting climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and has recently signed the Nottingham Declaration.

The council is now joining more than 40 other local authorities in supporting the scheme in which British Gas will contribute £50 towards the council tax bills of residents who decide to install cavity wall or loft insulation – with absolutely no cost to the council.

Under the scheme – which is open to both owner occupiers and private tenants who install British Gas cavity wall or loft insulation – the £50 contribution is paid by British Gas to the council once the installation is complete to reduce the customers' council tax bills.

Residents do not need to be British Gas customers or even use gas in their properties. Prices are £250 for cavity wall insulation and £274 for loft insulation – described by energy conservation officer Emma Flower as " comparable to other discount schemes".

Energy advice is given and an energy survey is completed during the free, no-obligation survey – and survey results are available to the council to help meet their home energy improvement targets.

Cllr Margaret Hyde, chairman of the Maidenhead Sustainability Members Working Group, said: "We are delighted to be able to support this scheme to help residents provide insulation in their homes, thereby providing them warmth and reducing their fuel bills whilst helping the environment. It's a real win-win for everyone.

"Insulating our homes is one of the most cost-effective energy-efficient measures we can all do, and this £50 credit to their council tax bill is a really worthwhile incentive to
encourage more residents to think seriously about having this work done.

"The average saving on subsequent heating bills is about £150 a year (source: Energy Savings Trust), so it will pay for itself very quickly - and every little helps in the ongoing drive to conserve energy."

British Gas offer customers the option of interest-free credit to help pay for the insulation. People who are on qualifying benefits get the insulation free, with no £50 rebate.

For further information about the scheme, contact British Gas on 0845 971 7731 and quote code RBWM; or contact the national energy advice centre at Milton Keynes on 0800 8048777 to find out about alternative discount insulation schemes.

For other energy advice you can contact the Royal Borough's energy officer on 01628 683820 (via the Customer Service Centre).

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead