As part of the government scheme to reduce carbon emission, people over 70 can now claim free cavity wall and loft insulation that would substantially reduce their heating bills.
The government has launched the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) as a scheme to ensure large utility companies are helping the government to meet its targets. All energy savings schemes can now offer free cavity wall and loft insulation for free to people over 70. This saving was previously only offered to people on benefits.
Insulating your loft and your cavity wall can save £250 off your heating bills and around 3 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year. This is achieve d by reducing the amount of heating energy that escapes through the walls and the roof.
The CERT scheme requires energy suppliers to promote and regulate carbon reduction measures in households. There is a particular focus on people classified as fuel poor and those on low income or elderly. Offering this service for the over 70s is estimated to help 1.2 million households reduce their heating bills and enjoy warmer winters.
Experts estimate that the people most in danger of ill health due to cold conditions are actually the ones that live in the least insulated houses. According to the Office of National Statistics, there were over 22,300 older people deaths that were related to cold winter conditions in 2006-2007.