A new £20 million Green Deal Communities scheme to help local authorities drive street-by-street delivery of the Green Deal has been announced today. Under new proposals from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), local authorities in England will be able to bid for funding from a £20 million pot to help households benefit from the Green Deal on a street-by-street or area basis.

Local authorities will identify target streets and areas in their regions that could most benefit from the Green Deal, and then offer incentives to households in these areas to encourage them to install energy efficiency home improvements under the Green Deal. Local authorities will propose incentives as part of their bids for funding, which will be assessed by DECC.

Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said: "If we are going to deliver the Green Deal at real scale then we need a street-by-street vision and a street-by-street plan! It starts here! However, local authorities really know their areas best. They know which streets and properties could most benefit from a Green Deal to improve their energy efficiency, and what local people need to provide them with a greater choice.

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"The Coalition is committed to helping hard pressed consumers and this £20 million funding will help more families benefit from the Green Deal, making homes warmer and more efficient, and protecting consumers against rising energy bills."

The Green Deal is an ambitious and long term programme aimed at improving the energy efficiency of the nation's buildings. It gives homes and businesses the opportunity to pay for energy efficiency home improvements through savings on their fuel bills.

Green Deal Communities will support local authorities, in partnership with local community organisations and businesses, to encourage take up of the Green Deal and other energy efficiency improvements in whole streets and areas throughout the country. Funding will only support those households using Green Deal finance or self-financing to install Green Deal measures.

To allow the development of strong bids local authorities will be able to bid up to 31 December 2013 or until the funds are exhausted.

DECC has already provided £23 million of funding for core cities and local authorities to kick-start the Green Deal, and today a £200 million energy efficiency scheme for homes in the North East – Warm Up North – has been announced by Newcastle City Council. Up to 50,000 households and businesses in the North East are set to benefit.

(CD/MH)