Tuesday 16 February 2010

Two Cheers for Welsh Boiler Scrappage Scheme

Jane Davidson has today announced details of her boiler scrappage scheme in Wales. I raised the issue in the chamber of the National Assembly yesterday highlighting the delay in the announcement.

This comes three months after households in England were able to benefit from a similar scheme.

Still, better late than never I suppose.

Moves to tackle fuel poverty in Wales are always welcome. Indeed, the Welsh Conservatives held a debate on the issue in the Assembly on 13 January this year to highlight the need to help people struggling to pay their fuel bills.

However, the eligibility criteria for the Welsh scheme are narrower than in England. On WAG’s own figures, between 240,000 and 250,000 households in Wales live in fuel poverty and yet this scheme will only help up to 5,000 households.

The Assembly Government needs to be bolder if it is to tackle fuel poverty in Wales.

1 comment:

  1. I think it is a great idea that the scheme has been extended to Wales. I am in England and got my boiler changed. But i have family in Wales and it seems silly that they too can't benefit from the scheme. SO this is good news. Do you know when the scheme comes into effect?

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