Private householders in the Tranent and Prestonpans areas will be able to access a range of free home insulation measures to improve energy efficiency and reduce fuel poverty this autumn.

The Scottish Government's £12.5 million Universal Home Insulation Scheme has provided funding of £445,000.

The scheme will run in partnership with East Lothian Council, the local Energy Saving Scotland advice centre, Changeworks and contractor Everwarm.

Changeworks Home Energy Assessors will be visiting some homes in the area to provide information and advice.

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A total of around 12,000 households will be targeted and Everwarm will carry out the installation work.

Householders should register their interest as soon as they receive the information through their doors.

Cabinet Member for Housing and Community Safety, Councillor Stuart Currie, said: "This is great news for Tranent and Prestonpans. A similar scheme we ran last year in the Musselburgh area was really successful in helping householders reduce their fuel bills. I would encourage anyone who receives information through their door on this initiative to act quickly. If someone is in fuel poverty – they are spending more than 10 per cent of their household income on fuel bills and that’s something we want to address. This scheme will help us get the message across that insulation can make a huge difference."

(JG/CD)