Tenants to Save After £11m Eco Scheme

Social housing tenants in the West Midlands are set to save "hundreds of pounds" on their household bills after the completion of a £11 million eco improvement programme. Social landlord Whitefriars Housing has spent three years making its homes more energy efficient - and has claimed that some tenants could see savings of up to £300 a year. Contractor Wates Living Space, which carried out the works in partnership with British Gas, has made adaptations to more than 1,000 homes in Willenhall over the course of the programme. Read more on 24dash.

Bedroom Tax Residents Given £900 to Downsize

Residents affected by the bedroom tax are set to receive up to £900 in return for downsizing.  Whitefriars, a housing association which took over the former council housing in Coventry, and the city council will gift tenants £300 per spare bedroom in a bid to free up much-needed larger properties.  The cash will then be spent on removal costs or on decoration and flooring for their new homes.  Whitefriars has pinpointed 150 homes which could be freed up under the scheme. It comes after the government cut benefits to any housing association tenants with spare bedrooms.  Around 3,000 residents have been affected in Coventry alone.  Read more on the Coventry Observer website.