All privately owned or privately rented homes in Carlisle are being offered free cavity wall and loft insulation (where less than 50mm/2” exists) on a first come first served basis.

It is estimated that around 60% of people in private housing in Carlisle District will qualify for free insulation in July.

‘Improving Cumbria’s Energy (ICE)’ is run by Carlisle City Council has been offering discounted insulation to thousands of homes in Cumbria for the last five years. ICE Summer is their most recent scheme offering free insulation for all privately owned or privately rented homes. In partnership with Bookmysurvey Ltd, the City Council have managed to secure free insulation for a limited number of houses during July. There’s no catch - householders will only have to make a contribution if they live in a larger than average home or need extras such as scaffolding or ventilation.

Cllr Olwyn Luckley, Portfolio Holder for Community Engagement, said:

“We have worked with Bookmysurvey (BMS) for a number of years now and are consistently impressed with the professional way that they provide energy efficiency and fuel poverty services to residents of Carlisle. Thanks to our partnership arrangement with BMS, we have attracted millions of pounds of external funding into the area and our residents are finding the Internet booking particularly useful with almost a third booking their surveys online. Many thousands of residents are now living in warmer, healthier homes and we look forward to an ongoing productive partnership with BMS to continue to improve the lives of our residents.”

Letters have been sent to the areas where there has been the least take up of insulation in previous years but everyone who pays their council tax to Carlisle City Council is eligible and over 400 homes have booked surveys in the first week.

Householders should book their survey as soon as possible by calling freephone 0800 093 5239 quoting “ICE Summer” lines are open between 9am and 8pm, or visit www.bookmysurvey.com and quote “ICE Summer” as the promotional code.                       

Ends

Notes to Editors:

• Carlisle City Council achieved the Central Government HECA targets of a 30% reduction in CO2 levels in domestic housing, two years before the 2010 deadline and was one of the first in the North West to achieve this.
• It is estimated that approximately 25% of homes that have cavity walls do not have cavity wall insulation in Carlisle and 60% need at least a “top–up” to 270mm in the loft. Approximately 15% still have virtually no insulation (less than 2” 50mm) and are losing over £150 a year as a result.