Home Insulation Incentives Commence In Scotland

If your house is over twenty years old, then it's very likely that you have sufficient insulation. Unlike new homes in Scotland, which come with added loft and cavity insulation as standard, many older houses lack these vital energy saving features.



Keep an eye out for people baring climate change tackling gifts of insulation and other energy saving efficiency tools. The Scottish Government has signalled that a number of communities and areas where additional energy efficiency measures are most needed to, are to receive them over the coming months.

According to the government, the criteria for deciding which areas that will be covered are:

* Levels of fuel poverty
* House age and emissions
* The potential number of treatable houses
* Potential for complementary funding

Areas to be covered 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

The Home Insulation Scheme is designed to improve the energy efficiency of homes through promoting and installing insulation and other energy saving measures. Ultimately said energy saving measures will reduce energy costs, an attractive incentive for anyone!

For further information, see Energy Savings Trust, or for free advice on loft and cavity wall insulation call the Energy Saving Trust advice line on 0800 512 012 (0300 456 2655 from a mobile) between 9am – 5pm.


Update:

The Scotsman have just published an interesting article covering the new "Green Loans" scheme that will accompany the Government's Warm Homes, Greener Homes scheme.

Apparently millions of Scots will be eligible for funding for energy saving improvements such as insulation and double glazing.

Scottish Property Market In Recovery

Whilst Englands's property market has endured a sustained battering, the Scottish market is showing the early signs of recovery.

A recent Scottish house price paper, revealed that in the three months to 31/01/10, house price roses on average by 5.9% on the previous quarter. Following seasonal and mix adjusting pricing, the average house price reached £160,074 .

Nearly all areas experienced a quarterly increase in prices, with the highest increases recorded in Dundee with 16.3% and Edinburgh with 11.4%.

However, Scotland as a whole continued to report an annual fall in prices. Prices in prices in Glasgow fell by 12%, whilst Dundee fell by 2%. Overall, on an annual basis, Scottish property prices have now fallen by an average of 6.8%.

Despite the mixed figures, Professor Donald MacRae, chief economist at Lloyds Banking Group Scotland, said "business surveys point to an exit from recession in early 2010, despite five consecutive quarterly falls in output in the Scottish economy. The level of mortgage availability including for first-time buyers has increased while the cost of borrowing remains low for many mortgage holders. The Scottish housing market is now into recovery."


Let's hope this improvement continues!