The way people use and conserve energy in the home is set to be revolutionised in Scotland with the offer of free energy audits, advice on becoming more energy efficient and free or discounted loft and cavity insulations.

Up to 96,000 homes across Scotland are to be offered help with making their homes more energy efficient in ten council areas, who will be the first to benefit from a ground-breaking home insulation scheme over the next year.

The scheme will use £15m of Scottish Government funding which will help create and sustain up to 900 jobs including employment opportunities for energy advisers and insulation installers.

The plans for the offer in individual areas are:

• 17,245 homes in Stirling- the whole city
• 14,000 homes in Angus - Brechin and Montrose
• 13,515 homes in Glasgow - King's Park, Croftfoot, Simshill and Cardonald
• 13,000 homes in Edinburgh - Craigentinny and Duddingston
• 10,000 homes in Fife - Leven, Kennoway and Largo
• 8,823 homes in Dundee - Broughty Ferry
• 1,500 homes in South Lanarkshire - West Rutherglen
• 9,034 homes in Highland - Thurso and Fort William
• 8,506 homes in Western Isles - Lewis and Harris
• 388 homes in Orkney - within parts of Kirkwall and Stromness

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Doorstep assessors will knock on every door in the selected areas to provide energy advice to the householder, gather energy data on the property and seek to sign the householder up for insulation measures, where their home is suitable.

Free energy efficiency measures will be offered to low-income households whose homes are suitable with higher-income customers offered measures at a discount.

Housing and Communities Minister Alex Neil said: "Making Scotland's homes better insulated will be key to achieving our ambitious climate change targets. By offering householders help with making their homes more energy efficient, people will have the opportunity to do their bit for the environment.

"Importantly it will help make homes warmer, reduce fuel bills, safeguard existing jobs and create new employment opportunities."

The Director for Scotland of the Energy Saving Trust, Mike Thornton said: "The Energy Saving Trust is very pleased to have been tasked by the Scottish Government to manage this important new initiative. We are looking forward to working with local authorities and other stakeholders in the areas selected to make the scheme a success."

(GK/JM)