Plumbing Trade Supplies (PTS), and City Plumbing Supplies (CPS), both part of the Travis Perkins Group, are playing a key role in the government’s ECO initiative by launching schemes with assessment provider Toriga and boiler manufacturers Ideal Heating and Valliant.
ECO, which stands for Energy Company Obligation, will see the six major UK utility companies spend £325 million over the next two years. The funding will pay for energy efficiency improvements within vulnerable households, where residents receive benefits and currently spend more than 10 per cent of their income on fuel.
The PTS team has been busy recruiting 100 specially selected installers who will fit the new Ideal high efficiency boilers into eligible households, at no charge to the homeowner. CPS has simultaneously been working with its chosen installers to fit Valliant boilers across the UK.
The installers, who are all PAS 2030 accredited, will be marketing ECO in their local areas with PTS and CPS branches supplying the boilers and paying for their time. Energy efficiency assessments will also be conducted by the official assessment and Green Deal provider of the Travis Perkins Group, Toriga.
Maxine Frost, ECO Director for PTS and CPS, commented: “We believe that ECO can make a major contribution towards helping those deemed to be fuel poor and vulnerable. We have recruited an army of installers who will be ready to go out into their local communities and actively market the funding that is available.
“Rising fuel prices are an on-going issue for consumers with more and more households designated as fuel poor every year. As a merchant, it’s fantastic to be able to offer a solution whilst also supporting installers from across the country.”
ECO is open to fuel poor households, designated as those with annual incomes lower than £15,910. The scheme is restricted to private sector tenants and those living in private who are in receipt of certain benefits and tax credits, such as pension credit, child tax credit, income support or a disability premium.
To find out more about PTS and its renewables team visit www.ptsrenewables.co.uk or call 01788 527700.Text PTS or SPARES to 83332 to find your nearest branch. For further information on CPS call 01604 752424 or visit www.cityplumbing.co.uk
