Hundreds of borough residents are missing out on energy-saving cash

Hundreds of householders in South Tyneside are missing out on grants to make their homes more energy efficient, new figures show.

- by Gazette Reporter

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) says three out of five homes, which are eligible for Government cash to help with better insulation and solar panels, have yet to have them installed, new figures show.

The Green Homes Grant scheme made £500m available to improve energy efficiency in low-income households.

DESNZ data shows 595 households in South Tyneside were approved for upgrades during the first phase of the scheme, but, as of August, improvements have been made to just 239-meaning only 40% of those identified have been upgraded.

This is well below the 69% installation rate across England-where some 27,387 homes were signed up to the scheme and energy efficiency work was carried out on 18,528.

It was also even lower than the 71% average across the North East.