Eaga welcomes Warm Front extension

Green support services company Eaga has today announced it has reached agreement subject to contract with Government on an extension to its contract to deliver Warm Front.

Newcastle-based Eaga will now act as lead contractor on the Scheme to 31 March 2011, with a provision for a further extension of up to two years beyond this.

Warm Front is a Government-funded Scheme providing funding help with heating, insulation and other energy efficiency improvements for households on qualifying benefits.

Since 2,000 it has assisted almost 2 million customers, making their homes warmer and more affordable to heat.

A number of structural changes to the Scheme have also been announced by Government which will help drive improvements for customer service and provide greater value for money.

These include raising the level of the grant maximum from £2,700 to £3,500 for gas heating and from £4,000 to £6,000 for oil.

Paul Varley, Divisional Managing Director of Eaga Managed Services, said: “Extending Eaga’s role as lead contactor until at least 2011 is great news and testament to the commitment and dedication of all those involved in its delivery. Warm Front is helping some of the most vulnerable households stay warm and save hundreds of pounds a year on fuel bills. This news means we can continue taking the Scheme forward.

“We also welcome the decision to raise the maximum grant level as it means the Scheme keeps pace with inflation. This will help some of the very poorest who may otherwise not have been able to afford to make a contribution if the cost of installation had exceeded the previous funding allowance.”

Warm Front is now assisting more than 1,000 households every working day.

For more information and to see if you qualify please contact 0800 316 2805 or visit www.warmfront.co.uk [1].

--ends--
Notes to Editor

Eaga plc is a green support services and outsourcing company. It is also the UK’s largest residential energy efficiency provider.
Eaga was established in Newcastle in 1990 and operates across the UK and in the Republic of Ireland, India and Canada. It employs over 4,500 people.
Eaga works in partnership with central and local Government, all six major energy suppliers, local authorities, social housing providers and is increasing its share of the able-to-pay private market.
Since its inception, Eaga has made a positive difference to over 5 million disadvantaged households across the UK, by installing energy efficiency insulation and central heating.
Eaga holds the contract to deliver the £1.5 billion Warm Front programme in England, the cornerstone of government's target to eliminate fuel poverty.
Eaga was recently appointed by the BBC to deliver the Switchover Help Scheme to ensure eligible households can receive help making the switch from analogue to digital.
Eaga is committed to co-ownership and is one of only a handful of UK organisations where every employee with over a year’s service is entitled to a share in the success of the business.
Since 2000, Eaga has invested over £3 million in the independent Eaga Partnership Charitable Trust which funds research into solutions to fuel poverty.