Central Heating Programme

The Scottish Government’s Central Heating Programme provides central heating, insulation and advice. It is available to all households in the private sector who lack central heating and where the householder or partner is aged 60 or over. The Programme was extended in May 2004 to include householders (or partners) aged 80 or over who had partial or inefficient central heating systems. The programme has been further extended from 1 January 2007 to include homeowners aged between 60 and 79, who are in receipt of the guaranteed element of Pension Credit if their central heating is partial or inefficient.

The programme provides the following package of measures:

• a central heating system and advice on how to use it

• loft, cold tank & pipe insulation; cavity wall insulation; and draughtproofing

• a carbon monoxide detector (except where heating system is electric), a mains-linked smoke detector and a cold alarm

• advice on best use of energy in the home

• an optional check of entitlement to state benefit.

To be eligible, the householder or partner (including partners of the same sex) must:

• be aged 60 or over without central heating in their home; or be aged between 60 and 79 and receive guaranteed element of Pension Credit; or be aged 80 or over and whose home has partial or inefficient central heating;

• live in Scotland and either own the home where the central heating will be installed; or have a tenancy agreement with a private-sector landlord and have the landlord’s written agreement to the work.

• have lived in the home for at least 12 months before the date of application and expect to live in it for at least 12 months after the work is finished.

• agree to the complete package of measures being installed if it is possible to do so.

• not have claimed a grant at the same address under the Central Heating Programme.

The applicant’s home must:

• be the only or main residence.

• be self-contained; that is, be lived in as a separate unit of accommodation and identifiable as such.

• not have a central heating system or, if there is central heating, it must be completely broken and beyond repair (apart from those aged 60 and 79 and receiving guaranteed element of Pension Credit; or 80 or over who have partial or inefficient central heating systems).

• not be affected by any order or resolution which may lead to its demolition.

A “central heating system” is defined as a system which provides warmth to two or more rooms through a series of connected radiators or ducts linked to a central boiler, or from a series of electric storage heaters and controlled from one central point.

Under the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (Scotland) Regulations which came into effect on 1 January 2007, new arrangements have been introduced to encourage repair rather than replacement where this is cost-effective.

Further information is available from Scottish Gas, Freepost, SCO 4421, Edinburgh, EH6 0BR; or you can telephone them on their freephone number: 0800 316 1653.

UPDATE

The Central Heating Programme was first introduced in September 2001 to help tackle the causes of fuel poverty. This extremely successful programme was extended from March 2006 until March 2008 to continue to deliver the benefits available through the scheme to vulnerable people.

Scottish Gas was appointed by Scottish Government as the Managing Agent to deliver the Central Heating Programme on 25 August 2006. Scottish Gas formally took up their roles and responsibilities on Monday 2 October 2006.

News 22nd May 2008

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Well-being, Nicola Sturgeon issued a statement to the Scottish Parliament on the 22nd May 2008.

In her statement the cabinet Secretary said that the Central Heating Programme needs to be overhauled to put the fuel poor at the heart of the Programme. She outlined that the Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum will be reconvened and will be asked to examine the Central Heating and Warm Deal Programmes and return in autumn 2008 with proposals for their reform.

For further information on this statement please Click Here

For more information on the Central Heating programme Click here

The Warm Deal Programme was first introduced in 1999 to replace the successful HEES and NEEDS schemes. This extremely successful programme was extended from March 2006 until March 2008, to continue to deliver the benefits available through the scheme to vulnerable people.