Caithness Landward Homes To Be Offered Free Energy Savings Measures

3rd October 2013

Photograph of Caithness Landward Homes To Be Offered Free Energy Savings Measures

Council and E.ON work together to improve Highland homes.

Home owners in four Highland Council Wards are the first to be offered free energy saving measures in a 6.4 million project with energy company E.ON.

People who own homes in the Landward Caithness; Aird and Loch Ness; Inverness Central and Upper Achintore (Fort William) Wards will be invited to have their properties assessed for free energy efficiency measures as part of the Home Energy Efficiency Programme for Scotland Area Based Scheme (HEEPS-ABS).

The scheme is mainly aimed at insulating hard-to-treat properties with primary measures being: cavity wall insulation or external wall insulation.

The Home Energy Efficiency Programme for Scotland Area Based Scheme is being administered and managed for the Scottish Government by The Highland Council in an arrangement with E.ON.

Councillor Dave Fallows, Chairman of The Highland Councils Finance, Housing and Resources Committee, welcomed the new energy efficiency scheme in the Highlands. He said: This partnership between Highland Council and E.ON is the only home energy efficiency scheme in the Highlands that is endorsed by the Council. It is a fantastic opportunity for homeowners in the first four wards that E.ON will be targeting.

Councillor David Alston, Vice Chair of the Councils Finance, Housing and Resources Committee, welcomed the 1.8 million funds to Highland Council from the Scottish Government to administer HEEPS-ABS. He said: I am delighted that The Highland Council is in the top quarter of Scottish local authorities receiving Scottish Government funds. Our success in attracting this funding is due to our previous good track record of administering government energy schemes.

Leader of The Highland Council, Councillor Drew Hendry added: This new three-year programme will help to reduce the carbon footprint of the Highlands and the Council is proud to lend its support which is being boosted by 4.6 million from E.ON as part of the Energy Company Obligation.

The HEEP-ABS programme is in alignment with Highland Councils recent long term commitment of achieving a Carbon Neutral Inverness in a Low Carbon Highlands by 2025; Carbon CLEVER Highlands.

Nigel Dewbery, Head of Obligation Delivery at E.ON added: Over the past three years we have installed wide-ranging energy efficiency measures to more than 1.3 million homes across the UK, we have also given an opportunity to some of the more vulnerable families in society to manage their energy costs for the long term. Im delighted we are able to continue bringing these benefits to homes and families by working alongside The Highland Council, as well as providing local employment opportunities during the delivery of this project.

Following a tender process, E.ON was chosen by The Highland Council to administer HEEP-ABS in the three year Highland-wide scheme. Over the coming months homeowners in the first four council wards of Landward Caithness; Aird and Loch Ness; Inverness Central and Upper Achintore (Lochaber) will be invited to have home energy assessments carried out by E.ON. Measures available will be dependent upon survey results and those that qualify for and agree to works being carried out in their homes will need to formally commit to the work being carried out by March 2014 and all installations will be completed by September 2014.

In additions to private home owners, the HEEP-ABS programme also welcomes applications from Registered Social Landlords; Housing Associations; and community groups that can match HEEP-ABS funding with community benefit funds to undertake collective community home energy efficiency or carbon reduction projects.

E.ON will be in contact with residents in the four chosen areas directly, as they progress through the Wards identified.

For further information please contact: Home Energy Scotland on tel: 0808 808 2282.

 

Related Businesses

 

Related Articles

2/7/2026 : Local Authority

A New Pay Deal For England's Teachers But Scottish Teach Are Still Better Paid But Councils Are Landed With The Problem

teachers in Scotland are generally still paid more than teachers in England, although the gap varies depending on experience and location.   The UK Government has announced a two-year pay deal for teachers in England: 3.5% from September 2026 3.0% from September 2027 This is a cumulative increase of around 6.6% over two years.  

26/6/2026 : Local Authority

The Highland Council agree next steps for Visitor Levy scheme

The Highland Council has agreed to continue working with the tourism industry to co-design a draft Visitor Levy scheme for the Highlands.   It follows the Council securing greater flexibility from The Scottish Government on how a Visitor Levy could be applied and administered, after feedback from accommodation providers and industry groups across the Highlands about a percentage-based charge.  

26/6/2026 : Local Authority

Highland Wealth Fund to create lasting legacy from renewable energy development

The Highland Council has agreed plans to establish a Highland Wealth Fund to create a lasting legacy from renewable energy development and support long-term benefits for communities across the region.   Inspired by the principles of the Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund, the new partnership-led fund will support strategic, regional, area and local priority projects, helping to ensure that the opportunities created by the energy transition deliver lasting value for current and future generations.  

25/6/2026 : Local Authority

Apply For Education Maintenance Allowance If you are 16 to 19 years old

If you are 16 to 19 years old, at school or college, and come from a low-income household you may be able to get financial help from an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA).   EMA is a weekly allowance of £30 per week, paid during term time.  

22/6/2026 : Local Authority

 
Highland Council launches new platform to improve online engagement

The Highland Council has today (Monday 22 June) launched a new online engagement platform which will transform how residents, communities and visitors engage with consultations.   The easy-to-use platform allows anyone to quickly see what projects and proposals are open for consultation and engagement.  

22/6/2026 : Local Authority

A Tale of Two Schools - Is Thurso Next? As Moray Council Shelves £100million school plan for Buckie

When Moray Council officially shelved plans for a new Buckie High School, it sent a shockwave through communities across the north of Scotland.  The message was clear: in the current economic climate, even the most desperate promises of new school builds can vanish overnight when balanced against a massive budget deficit.  

19/6/2026 : Local Authority

 
Highland creatives help shape UK City of Culture 2029 bid

Cultural artists and creators from across the Highlands have gathered at Strathpeffer Pavilion to share their ideas and ambitions for the Inverness-Highland bid for UK City of Culture 2029.   The bid, which is being taken forward under the name Beò 2029 the Gaelic word for living brought together around 80 creative practitioners from across the region for a cultural conversation exploring what culture means in the Highlands, what stories the region wants to tell, and the legacy for the future.  

18/6/2026 : Local Authority

 
Great Glen Way route improvements now open

A new improved section of the Great Glen Way is now open, offering walkers, wheelers and visitors a safer and more scenic way to experience this popular trail.   The Highland Council has completed work on over 3km of the route, moving it away from the public road and onto a new off‑road path.  

14/6/2026 : Local Authority

How Caithness Can Strengthen Its Case for Major Capital Investment in an Era of Shrinking Budgets

Caithness has reached a moment where the old assumptions about public investment no longer hold.  For decades, the region could rely on a three‑pillar system: HIE to drive economic development, Scottish Enterprise and national programmes to support growth, and Highland Council to deliver the infrastructure that underpins daily life.  

14/6/2026 : Advisory / Counseling Services

When the Money Moves South: How HIE’s Shrinking Budget Has Hit Caithness and Why “Record Funding” Doesn’t Mean What It Used To

For decades, Highlands and Islands Enterprise was the economic backbone of the far north.  It wasn’t perfect, but it was one of the few institutions that understood the basic truth of life in Caithness: distance costs money, and if the state doesn’t step in, the market won’t.