MORE than 100 county homes will receive energy efficiency improvements after the council and a social housing provider secured grant funding.

More than £400,000 has been given after a bid from Platform Property Care and Worcester City Council under the Local Authority Delivery Scheme, and will be used to improve the energy performance ratings of 100 Platform Housing Group properties in the county.

The social landlord has also committed a further £204,600 of its own funds to the initiative - which will be completed by September - to include installing PV, solar thermal and external wall insulation.

Cllr Andy Stafford, vice chairman of Worcester City Council’s Environment Committee said : “Improving the energy efficiency of local housing is an important step towards meeting Worcester’s pledge to become carbon neutral by 2030.

“In addition to the work which Platform Housing is undertaking, the city council is also offering free external wall insulation to local homeowners with a combined household income of £30,000 or less.”

The Green Homes Grant is one of the programmes announced by the government as part of the investment in economic recovery from COVID-19.

Delivered through local authorities, the scheme’s primary aim is to improve the energy efficiency of low incomes and low EPC rated homes – those with Band E, F or G.

Kevin Carl, assistant asset management director (East) for Platform, said : “We are delighted to be able to announce the upgrade of energy inefficient properties in the city and the reduction of fuel poverty.

“This initiative is a really good opportunity for customers’ homes to be warmer and for them to save money on their heating bills, at no cost to themselves.”

To find out more and to check your eligibility for the scheme, go to actonenergy.org.uk

Platform Housing Group – which owns 46,000 homes in total – completed 1,448 homes in 2019/20 (1,598 in 2018/19) at an investment of £258 million (£228m in 2018/19).

The Group also built more social rented homes – at a figure of 981 – during the past 2 years in England than any other provider, 523 in 2019/20, almost 33 per cent of the total homes built.

Platform Housing Group’s operating area is from Herefordshire in the West to the Lincolnshire coast in the East, and from the Derbyshire Dales in the North to the Cotswolds in the South.