INSULATION work is under way for the Warm Up Hartlepool scheme, with the first residents in the borough having cavity wall and loft insulation installed in their homes.

The scheme could see thousands benefit from free measures, which make homes warmer and cheaper to heat.

Launched at the end of July, residents can take advantage of the scheme’s extended qualification criteria to benefit from insulation and heating measures.

Homes in certain postcode areas will automatically qualify, as will those in receipt of certain benefits and have an income threshold of less than £32,000 a year, and those with long-term health conditions made worse by the cold and damp.

Councillor Kevin Cranney, chair of Hartlepool Borough Council’s regeneration services committee, said: “Not being hamstrung by a very restrictive criteria means that many residents in the borough that may have missed out on previous schemes will be eligible to apply for a range of energy efficiency measures, such as cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, room in the roof insulation and in some cases replacement boilers or new heating systems and it’s really great to see the work under way.”

The work is being carried out by J&J Crump & Son with residents encouraged to call 01429-697277 for more information on the scheme.