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The Minister has confirmed additional funding for the Welsh Government’s successful strategic energy scheme, Arbed which will see money invested in improving homes across Wales in areas including Flintshire, Blaenau Gwent, Ceredigion and Swansea.

The £6.6m will ensure that more than 1500 Welsh homes benefit from energy saving improvements such as external wall insulation, high efficiency, class A boilers and the transition to more efficient types of fuel.

The money is already beginning to deliver warmer homes and lower fuel bills to householders in some of Wales’ poorest areas, as well as providing job opportunities within the construction and renewable energy sectors.

Speaking about the additional funding, the Environment Minister said:

“Ensuring that Welsh homes are more energy efficient is vital if we are to successfully tackle fuel poverty.

“The Arbed programme is already having a real impact on communities across Wales and is ensuring that homes in some of the more deprived areas of Wales are warmer and easier to heat.

“Not only that but it is helping us to reach some of the challenging carbon reduction targets set out in our Climate Change Strategy, as well as generating new job opportunities in some of the less wealthy communities in Wales.

“I am delighted that we have been able to allocate an additional £6.6m to continue this successful programme and I look forward to it making a real difference to the warmth and energy bills of homes in some of Wales’ more deprived areas.”

Llyr Edwards, Director of Property Services at Tai Ceredigion said:

“The additional Arbed 1 funding, is not only good news for Ceredigion, bringing with it training and employment opportunities, it is also excellent news for our tenants.

“Jobs are being retained by Welsh companies, Welsh products being used to externally insulate tenants' homes, and rural estates that had previously seen little investment are now being re-vitalised.

“Such an investment will make a considerable difference to the lives for the Tai Ceredigion tenants living in rural off-gas areas, will provide a  boost to local shops and businesses, and will help in reducing fuel poverty and carbon emissions.

The funding is the result of consequential funding, and additional capital funding including a recent allocation by Finance Minister, Jane Hutt. It takes spending on the first phase of Arbed up to £76m, with £36.6m of this coming from the Welsh Government.  It is expected that this additional £6.6m will leverage in additional funding from both energy companies and registered social landlords.

The Welsh Government will soon begin phase 2 of its Arbed scheme, which is partly funded by the European Regional Development Fund and will see a further £45m being invested in Welsh homes.

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