First Minister visits home of Warmworks customer in Coupar Angus

Scotland’s First Minister, John Swinney MSP, visited an elderly resident in his Perthshire constituency today to see how he has benefitted from work carried out under the Scottish Government’s national fuel poverty scheme, Warmer Homes Scotland. 

Hisham Itani welcomed the First Minister and representatives from Warmworks, the organisation responsible for administering the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme across the country, to his home in Coupar Angus to showcase his newly installed renewable heating system. 

The Warmer Homes Scotland scheme provides grants for insulation, efficient heating, and renewable technologies for households struggling with high energy bills. Its goal is to make homes more affordable to heat and reduce fuel poverty. Households typically save, on average, £300 a year in energy bills following the installation of these improvements. 

When 76-year-old Mr Itani applied to the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme earlier this year, his existing heating system had broken down and he faced the prospect of a long, cold winter ahead. His home had an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) rating of 33, less than half the national average of 67, making it extremely difficult to efficiently heat his property and keep warm at a reasonable cost. 

Thanks to the scheme, Mr Itani has had an air source heat pump, solar panels, and a domestic storage battery installed. This battery will store any extra energy generated to be used when needed. He has also had loft insulation, and a full heating system replacement installed. 

A post-installation inspection of Mr Itani’s property identified that the EPC level of his home had increased from 33 to 71, a massive upgrade. This means Mr Itani should be able to heat his home more affordably and save money on his energy bills. 

Replacing inefficient and broken heating systems, such as the one Mr Itani had in his home, with renewable heating technology in this way also supports homes and families in the transition to net zero – many of whom would otherwise not have had the means to do so independently. PWB Developments and the Edinburgh Boiler Company, registered and accredited installers in Warmworks’ supply chain, carried out the work. 

As Managing Agent of the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme, Warmworks provides an end-to-end service, managing every step of the process – from the initial assessment through to the installation and concluding with an independent inspection. 

Launched in 2015, the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme has now supported almost 50,000 homes and families across the country in managing their energy costs and living warmer, happier, and healthier lives. The Scottish Government recently awarded an additional £20 million in funding to the scheme as part of a package of measures to support older people through the winter. 

Hisham Itani

“Having this work done and completed ahead of the winter coming on will make a big difference to me. The idea of having to do all of this work on my own was almost impossible, so it’s been great to have this help and support to get the work done. 

“I couldn’t fault the process or the installers who did the work, everything was on time and the whole thing was made really easy for me from the start. It has been a privledge to welcome the First Minister to our home today.”

First Minister John Swinney MSP

“It was a privilege to visit a home that has been transformed by the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme, and it is truly inspiring to see the difference it is making, not just in the lives of people and families in my home constituency of Perthshire North, but across the whole of the country. 

“By improving energy efficiency, we are not just helping bring household bills down; we are helping to tackle fuel poverty and build a more sustainable Scotland at the same time.” 

Ross Armstrong, Chief Executive at Warmworks

“Our mission is to help people be warmer, happier, and healthier at home, so it has been great to see the impact our team has had for Mr Itani, particularly at this time of year. 

“The Scottish Government’s recent allocation of an additional £20 million in funding for the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme means we can help many more people like Mr Itani. It represents an important vote of confidence in our customer-focused, values-driven work and will provide a vital lifeline to thousands of homes and families across Scotland over the winter period.”