The Affordable Warmth Scheme was introduced in 2013 to provide funding for householders on state benefits to replace old, inefficient gas central heating boilers.

The intention was to help those vulnerable families who may be suffering from fuel poverty, to reduce their heating bills. At the same time, by replacing inefficient boilers with energy efficient boilers, energy usage would fall and so would carbon emissions.

The Government recognised that householders with electric storage heaters, oil-fired boilers and LPG boilers were not being treated fairly.

The Affordable Warmth Scheme has now been changed to offer Storage Heater Grants in Cornwall.

Cornwall has a high proportion of homes without a mains gas supply.

This map of the UK shows which regions have the lowest proportion of homes without a mains gas supply.

The darker the area, the lower the proportion of homes which have to rely on electric storage heaters, oil boilers and LPG boilers because they have no access to mains gas.

To Qualify for Storage Heater Grants in Cornwall you must satisfy ALL 3 of the following criteria:

1. You must live in your own home or one you rent from a private landlord.

2. You must receive one of the following State Benefits:

• Guaranteed Pension Credit (Savings Credit and ordinary State Pension do NOT qualify on their own).
• Child Tax Credit*
• Working Tax Credit*
• Universal Credit*
• Income Support
• Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance
• Income-Based Job Seeker’s Allowance

* Maximum household income thresholds (based on the number of adults and children who live in your home) apply to these State Benefits and these can be found in the table below.

3. You must have at least one existing electric night storage heater installed in your home which is faulty.

Full details of qualifying criteria for Storage Heater Grants in Cornwall can be found HERE.

STORAGE HEATER GRANTS IN CORNWALL ARE AVAILABLE NOW.