More than £1.3 million will be coming into the districts of Sedgemoor, Mendip, Somerset West and Taunton, and South Somerset to improve the energy efficiency of social housing and owner-occupied homes in the area.

The district councils have successfully bid for the Government funding which will enable improvements to be made to 165 social and 45 owner-occupied of the least energy efficient and fuel-poor homes.

The funding from the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery Programme is targeted at lower income households whose properties will benefit from the energy improvements.

The local authorities have until the end of September to complete the project. Measures that will be included in the scheme are:

- Insulation to walls, floors and roofs

- Air source heat pumps

The funding forms part of a number of initiatives within the districts' climate emergency strategies to reduce carbon across Somerset and mitigate the impact of climate change.

Beside climate change there are also economic gains to be made from the funding including reskilling of the workforce employment opportunities and potential for the green economy to grow.

The Centre for Sustainable Energy will be assisting Sedgemoor District Council as the lead authority to manage the scheme along with the partner social housing landlords such as Homes in Sedgemoor, SHAL, and Somerset West and Taunton.

Funding is being split between social housing that has already been identified for energy measures and applications from homeowners.

If you are an owner occupier living in a poorly insulated home and on a low income, then you are invited to contact the Centre for Sustainable Energy on 0800 082 2234 to see what advice and support can be offered.

Even if you are not eligible for this scheme, then the centre will be able to offer guidance on other options of financial support.