More than one in five Scottish households have received help from the Scottish Government and energy companies to help reduce their home energy bills.

Between April 2008 to December 2012, more than 540,000 homes received over 629,000 free or subsidised professionally installed cavity wall or loft insulation.

This was carried out through the Carbon Emission Reduction Target (CERT) scheme, which places an obligation on electricity and gas suppliers to tackle energy efficiency and fuel poverty.

This financial year, the Scottish Government has made £79m available to help tackle fuel poverty, and the funds will be used to provide support for a range of energy efficiency measures.

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In addition to being eligible for £400 towards the cost of a new boiler, homeowners can access a £500 voucher towards the cost of insulation and up to £300 for other measures such as double-glazing and heating controls under the initiative.

Commenting on the figures, released by the Energy Savings Trust, Housing Minister Margaret Burgess said: "Scotland is an energy rich nation and everyone should be able to live in a warm and affordable home that doesn’t cost the earth to heat.

"This government is doing all it can to help people cut their energy bills and through its partnership work with energy suppliers over half a million households have been assisted to improve energy efficiency.

"These statistics released today are further evidence of the work we are doing to help customers struggling to pay their energy bills."

(JP/MH)