Private renters and homeowners in East Ayrshire can now apply for further financial help to make their homes more enegry efficient.

Elected members of East Ayrshire Council's cabinet voted this week to set up a 'Local Authority Flex' scheme under the new ECO4 initiative for eligible properties throughout East Ayrshire.

The Flex scheme is part of the UK Government’s Energy Company Obligation (ECO) programme.

ECO legally obliges energy suppliers to install energy saving measures such as insulation and heating systems in eligible homes.

ECO4 is the latest version of the scheme which is designed to promote the installation of insulation, renewable technologies and district heating connections with an emphasis on whole house retrofitting where possible.

In East Ayrshire, this means the council can use Flex to help homeowners and private rented tenants take advantage of the scheme to upgrade their homes to modern, energy efficient standards to reduce carbon footprint an energy costs.

It will be a welcomed addition, with around 27,000 homes in East Ayrshire believed to be in need of energy-efficient upgrade work.

Councillor Graham Barton, EAC's cabinet member for net zero, environment, climate change and equalities and inclusion, said: "We know that for many householders the costs of retrofitting and upgrading are prohibitive, but if we’re to meet our net zero targets and help improve people’s quality of life with community wealth building, assisting as many people as we can to cut their emissions and energy bills and join the green revolution makes great sense.

"Of course it’s not a limitless pot, and there are strict eligibility criteria to be met, but the expansion of the scheme to cover all areas of East Ayrshire means that we’ll be better able to target those buildings and people who are most in need of help.

“We know that nearly 27,000 properties in East Ayrshire are in need of upgrading works to help them cut emissions.

“We’re happy that with this scheme, we’re helping residents all over East Ayrshire to cut the confusion that surrounds “green improvements” and that with this work we can cut emissions and fuel bills helping not just the householders but the whole area to move towards a more prosperous and Clean Green East Ayrshire.”

Details of the scheme and the eligibility criteria will be available soon on the council’s Clean Green East Ayrshire website.