Complaints levelled over new heating plan for elderly

Unfortunately, despite the best intentions to help the elderly, infirm and people on low incomes, Warm Front - the initiative implemented to assist these people with home heating during winter, has gone amiss with the plan. Complaints received by the charity Age Concern include unsatisfactory workmanship, long delays and the expectation for pensioners to contribute to the costs.

Consequently there is due (at the time of publication) an announcement from the government concerning new measures to help poor and elderly people keep warm at home. One partial solution is for the government to contribute extra money - or money back! - into the Warm Front Scheme. They have admitted cutting this by a third between 2007 and 2008 and 2010 to 2011 which would reduce it to £295 million. Indeed government grants are set at a maximum of £2700 necessitating those eligible to top up at vast expense.

Mervyn Kohler of Help the Aged stated "In the long term the previously ill advised cuts to Warm Front must be reversed to allow all homes to be more energy efficient." Indeed it does look like the government will have to have a rethink and also consider other measures such as a large increase in the CERT (Carbon Emissions Reduction Target) Scheme which involves energy companies funding energy saving measures to insulate the homes of pensioners, the sick and those on a low income.

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