£20 million to help residents save on energy bills

Ministers say the cash will fund upgrades to around 1,600 homes, making them greener and warmer and slashing energy bills by up to £450 a year.

Among the recipients are Staffordshire County Council, which will get £1m to retrofit 100 homes; Walsall Council gets £2m for 180 homes, and Wychavon District Council has been awarded £5.8m to retrofit 236 homes.

The cash will be used to install wall and roof insulation, new low carbon alternatives to gas boilers such as air-source heat pumps, and solar panels.

Across the country 200 councils have been given a share of a £562m funding pot to improve the least energy efficient homes, including those of people who are living in fuel poverty and off the main gas grid.

Climate Change Minister Lord Callanan, said: "Counties across the West Midlands are already taking strong action on climate change, and our funding today will help the region meet these ambitions and build back greener, helping people to heat their homes cleanly and cheaply while securing green employment across the city-region.

“The funding for these exciting housing schemes is levelling up in action. Households across the West Midlands region will enjoy warmer homes, save money on their bills and reduce their carbon footprint in the process, all while supporting and protecting over 8,000 green jobs across the country.”

According to Government figures emissions from domestic properties account for around a quarter of the UK’s carbon emissions.

The funding is expected to cut 70,000 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere – the equivalent of the total carbon footprint produced by around 9,000 UK households.

The West Midlands is also set to see £61m awarded to the Midland Local Energy Hub, which will work with councils and delivery partners to upgrade additional homes in the region.