Liverpool Housing Trust has spent £2.5 million on energy efficient housing, in a move that is set to save homeowners up to £250 each on their annual gas and electricity bills.

LHT conducted an overhaul of over 200 properties in Castlefields, Runcorn, fitting them with external wall insulation. The properties, many of them built during the 1970s, have been part of a major investment that is expected to save families across the estate a combined £61,250 per year in gas and electricity bills.

The project was carried out by a team which also included input from Halton Borough Council, Plus Dane, Keepmoat, John McCall Architects and Sutcliffe Projects.

It’s a welcome investment, especially with the recent news that the country’s six biggest energy suppliers have announced huge price raises for their customers.

The Liverpool Housing Trust is part of Fuel Poverty, a programme that provides aid for tenants who are struggling to heat their homes this winter.

Managing Director of LHT, Sue Westwater, told North West Housing News, the “recent energy price rises, coupled with the Government’s benefit changes and the start of the cold weather, (are) putting lots of our customers under huge pressure.”

Sue sent a message to all LHT employees to “get involved in Fuel Poverty Month to make sure we are offering all the support we can.”

“It really makes a difference just spotting somebody who needs a helping hand and we recognise the pressure people are under, particularly this winter with increasing energy prices.”

The recent improvements have made a huge difference to the tenants themselves. 55-year-old Linda Cain, said that the energy saving insulation had also helped to improve the area visually. She said, “not only does the work save people money…it makes the whole estate look cleaner and more modern.”

As a positive offshoot of the work, the improvements also meant jobs for nine young people from the nearby Riverside College, and also helped teach local youngsters the importance of health and safety on business sites.

Good quality insulation can help to make your home more energy efficient, and save you money on your gas and electricity bills. Before having any work carried out on your property though, it’s important that you get a building survey carried out by a qualified chartered surveyor.

A full building survey includes reports on major and minor defects, and what they mean for your property, appropriate guidance on maintenance and remedial measures, advice on possible costs, technical information on the property and also the materials used and any recommendations for further specialist investigations.

With a chartered surveyor you’re in safe hands, and they can ensure that any work being carried out on your property is to the highest standard. If you want to make your home more energy efficient, then make sure you get a surveyor in to check any work you’re planning on having done.

And you can find out more great ways to make your home more energy efficient by checking them out on the Energy Savings Trust website.