Householders in every council area in Scotland are to benefit from almost £50m of funding which will make their homes warmer and easier and cheaper to heat.

They will also be more environmentally friendly, Housing Minister Margaret Burgess has said.

The Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland (HEEPS) funding has been allocated to all Scottish local authorities and will target fuel poor households. The investment will subsequently be used for the installation of energy efficiency measures such as solid wall, cavity and loft insulation.

The funding is expected to help lever around £125m of investment from major utility companies to deliver the projects.

Ms Burgess said: "The Scottish Government is determined to help householders stay warm and reduce their energy bills.

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"Basic energy efficiency measures can make a huge difference to Scottish families who are struggling to make ends meet, allowing them to heat their homes more cost effectively.

"Today’s funding will see thousands more homes across Scotland receive new measures like solid wall insulation– helping to drive down the number of people living in fuel poverty.

"This further investment will also help to generate work and support jobs – providing a much needed boost to our economy.

"To help tackle fuel poverty we are actively working with councils and energy companies to ensure that Scotland continues to get its fair share of funding for efficiency programmes like these. Unlike the UK Government, we believe it is important to provide this type of funding, which is why we are committing around a quarter of a billion pounds to it in this spending review period.

"Rising energy bills remain a huge concern for this government and there is still funding available to local authorities. We urge councils to consider applying for additional support."

The £50m funding is being delivered through the Scottish Government’s new Home Energy Efficiency Programme for Scotland (HEEPS), formerly known as the National Retrofit Programme.

(JP/MH)