Hard pressed British communities are set to benefit from a multi-million pound energy efficiency programme.

The first wave of projects, led by British Gas, will help thousands of people on low incomes cut their energy use and lower their fuel bills.

British Gas has signed agreements with ten communities across the country - the first energy supplier to do so - which will see British Gas project teams working with local authorities and charities to assess the best energy efficiency measures to install on a community-wide basis.

Measures will include insulation, draught-proofing and heating schemes, as well as home energy assessments across a wide range of housing stock. "Whole house" approaches will mean that measures will be decided according to what best fits local housing and will involve the entire house instead of a single measure on a one size fits all basis. In Walsall, for example, work is expected to include external solid wall insulation and switching homes from high cost electricity heaters to lower cost gas central heating.

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The Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) is a joint initiative between the government, energy suppliers and power generators which will see a total of £350m worth of energy efficiency measures installed over three years. British Gas will be spending approximately £70 million as part of the programme.

CESP is expected to benefit around 90,000 households and will save nearly four million tonnes of CO2 emissions. The programme will explore how households, local groups and energy suppliers can work together to deliver energy efficiency measures across an entire community - simple measures, such as insulation, could save an average of £365 a year off fuel bills. By targeting low income households, the programme is unique in helping the hard to reach people who have typically not benefited from other national energy efficiency initiatives.

Phil Bentley, Managing Director of British Gas said: "Households account for a quarter of the UK's total CO2 emissions. By focusing on homes, and in particular vulnerable communities which have been traditionally hard to reach, we can make a significant impact on our national carbon footprint and cut the bills of Britain's most hard-pressed families.

"As the country's biggest energy supplier we are well-placed to take the lead in helping people become more energy efficient. This is why we're very pleased to be the first energy supplier to begin CESP projects."

(CD/GK)