Older and vulnerable homeowners are being urged to apply for a grant from Cornwall Council for essential gas maintenance and gas related repairs to their home.

An average grant of £225 is available after the council was awarded a £5,000 Gas Safe Charity Grant to help homeowners with a disability over the age of 21. Homeowners over the age of 60 in receipt of a means tested benefits such as the Guaranteed Pension Credit or Council Tax Support are also eligible.

The council will arrange for local Gas Safe contractors to carry out work at the homes of successful applicants which could include gas safety checks, gas servicing, gas boiler repairs or work on cookers, fires, pipework or water heaters.

Mark Deer, Cornwall Council’s team lead for home solutions, said: “Applications will be dealt with on a first come first served basis.  For successful applicants, we will arrange for local Gas Safe contractors to carry out the work and we will pay them direct.  The average grant is anticipated to be  in the region of £225 but a full gas service of all appliances, including the gas boiler combustion analysis can cost in the region of £100 so we have the potential to help up to 40 or 50 households be gas safe in their homes.”

Geoff Brown, Cornwall Council cabinet member for homes and communities said: “This is excellent news and I would encourage those who think they may be eligible to apply to do so. In that way they can be confident that the gas provision in their home is operating in a safe and reliable manner.”

Cornwall Council applied to The Foundations Independent Living Trust (FILT) which works in partnership with the Gas Safe Charity to provide essential maintenance and repairs to the homes of older and vulnerable people.

FILT chair, Baroness Kay Andrews, said: "This funding will provide much needed support to many vulnerable and older people. I am delighted that we are working with our partners to provide essential support to keep people safe and warm in their homes".

The Gas Safe Charity funding has been awarded to coordinating charity FILT, as part of a two-year programme and will be used to address the replacement, repair and servicing of dangerous, faulty or insufficient gas appliances and installations that put the safety of older and vulnerable people at risk.

The Gas Safe chair of trustees, Gordon Lishman, said: "Working in partnership across England, Scotland and Wales will help put in place preventive services that directly address the risks of death, injuries and illness caused by dangerous gas work and appliances. The scheme will also help to promote gas safety awareness across the UK.”

People can apply directly to the Home Solutions Team at Cornwall Council by calling 01872 224707 or email: handyperson@cornwall.gov.uk