Press
15/02/2008
Poorest Households Let Down by Government Heating Scheme
Local MP, Andrew George, is calling on those of his constituents who have had dealings with a Government energy grant agency to contact him with their comments – good or bad – following a spate of complaints that the work had been overpriced and that the taxpayer had been “fleeced” in the process.
The project, run by Energy Action Grants Agency (EAGA) is part of the Government’s Warm Front programme, but local MPs are concerned that the least well off have to pay more for their home improvements than they would if they had employed a local contractor.
Mr George wrote to the Chief Executive of the Warm Front Scheme, John Clough MP, and to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Rt. Hon Hilary Benn MP, asking for this state of affairs to be investigated.
In one case, Mr George pointed out that his constituent was told that she had to use a contractor from more than 350 miles away because there was no local contractor approved under the scheme. In contrast, the local contractors she had consulted could have done the work for less than half of the cost of the Government approved contractor.
Mr George said, “Government Ministers really need to look at how this scheme is operating. Those who can least afford it are being given no choice than to pay extortionate bills. In many cases they would be better off if they were not offered the up to £4,000 grant which is allegedly being pocketed by the contractors.
“I have already received a large number of complaints, but I would like to hear from others. Since June 2005 there have been over 4,400 complaints to EAGA with 1,760 upheld. I would also like to hear from local contractors to find out how easy they have found it to become vetted by the Warm Front Scheme to undertake this important work.”
Please send your letters to Andrew George MP, Trewella, 18 Mennaye Road, Penzance, Cornwall, TR18 4NG.
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