Ben Everitt, the MP for Milton Keynes North, has shared his delight after the Conservative Government announced Milton Keynes City Council will be provided with £22.7 million to boost heating efficiency and cut heating costs in homes across Milton Keynes.
The Conservative Government have announced £1.4 billion in grant funding under the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) and Home Upgrade Grant (HUG). The funding committed by Government will be matched with around £1.1 billion in funding provided by Social Housing Landlords. This means the overall package will benefit 115,000 low-income households, with average annual bill savings of between £220 to £400 per household.
The schemes form part of the Conservative Government’s commitment to reduce overall UK energy demand by 15 per cent by 2030, as well as supporting the ambition for the UK to move towards greater energy independence.
This announcement comes alongside the latest funding of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme update, at around £400 million. This scheme supports public sector bodies to move away from using fossil fuels to generate heat and energy and instead use low carbon technology.
Ben Everitt MP has also welcomed the news that Milton Keynes University Hospital will receive £4,821,645 thanks to the fund, improving their energy efficiency and cutting their bills.
The Conservative Government will also launch a suite of tools, templates and guidance to support the public sector in decarbonising their sites. This has been produced by, and will be hosted on the website of, Energy Systems Catapult. It includes tools to calculate BAU energy use, procurement templates and clear, accessible guidance.
Ben Everitt MP said: "I'm absolutely delighted this Conservative Government is investing more than £22 million in boosting energy efficiency across Milton Keynes to help cut people's bills by up to £400.
"And it once again demonstrates our commitment to net zero and making long-term improvements to energy efficiency which will support those on the lowest incomes.
"It's also fantastic to see Milton Keynes University Hospital will be receiving £4.8 million to make their own improvements to energy efficiency."
Grant Shapps, the Energy Secretary, commented: “This winter, we have all become acutely aware of our energy bills and how best to keep our homes warm.
"In the face of Putin’s war driving up prices, we have already stepped to pay around half of the average household’s energy bills to help get through the winter months.
"Today, we are going even further to boost energy efficiency and bring down bills for those who need it the most.”
