It is offering the money in a drive to get free insulation installed in half a million "needy" homes by next year.

Firms have found it hard to persuade such households to come forward.

British Gas is holding out the prospect that individuals could earn themselves hundreds of pounds by referring vulnerable family members, friends and neighbours for free loft or cavity wall insulation.

The company says loft insulation can save households £175 on their heating bills and cavity wall insulation can save £135.
Priority group

Several energy companies provide free insulation to customers. But now the neediest households are being offered cash incentives as well, regardless of whether they are customers or not.

Scottish & Southern Energy hands over a £25 shopping voucher and E.On pays £100 as an incentive.

British Gas has now raised the stakes by promising £50 to the householder and £50 to the person who passes on the name.

Sopurce: BBC News

More than 50 people stepped in to help save the library from closure which opened its doors last week under new management.

John Beaumont, secretary of the management board said: “It has involved a lot of hard work and has been a bumpy road, but we are delighted with what has been achieved. We’ve now got more than 50 people on board as volunteer staff and we are looking forward to being able to offer a different sort of service.

“This building is the heart of the village and our slogan is that a library which had 35,000 visits a year had to be a good thing and had to be allowed to remain."

The library has secured a £10,000 grant from the county council and an additional £3,750 from the Big Society Fund.

"This review falls far short of protecting people in financial difficulty from the excessive and unfair practices carried out by bailiffs. While the re-coding of the law on bailiffs is welcome, without an independent regulatory body to oversee the bailiff industry, these reforms are unlikely to deal with the serious problems that we continue to see.

"We're also disappointed at proposals which will lead to a massive increase in bailiff fees for enforcing council tax debts. Almost 70% of enquiries Citizens Advice Bureaux receive about bailiffs relate to council tax debt. The review does nothing to stop bailiffs in England increasing their fees for families already in dire straits from £42.50 to over £300.

"Jonathan Djanogly must offer squeezed households more protection."

SSE also revealed a similar picture earlier this month with a predicted profit rise despite falls in consumption.

Audrey Gallacher, Director of Energy at Consumer Focus said: "We need successful, profitable companies. But consumers need to know big profit margins are not being made needlessly at their expense. The issue is not how much money is made over one year, it’s whether the market is working as a whole, pricing is fair, and if suppliers are providing enough transparency.

"We know many consumers don’t trust their supplier, and getting greater clarity over pricing and profits is key to rebuilding faith in this market. Ofgem must act on the recommendations of the firm which recently scrutinised the energy suppliers’ accounts – to make sure information is fully transparent, comparable, and includes profit and trading information from across the whole of their business."

The charity has been working with the Bedworth, Rugby and Nuneaton CAB to set up a new service to support people affected by cancer.

Over the last 18 months it has been in contact with 429 people who have now received the benefits they are entitled to as well as grants and one-off payments.

Anyone struggling to cope with the practical impact of cancer can access the service by calling 024 7664 2690 to make an appointment or gain advice.

Contact the Macmillan Support Line for free on 0808 808 00 00 .

(Source: Coventry Evening Telegraph)

Read More http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/north-warwickshire-news/2012/02/13/citizens-advice-bureau-boosts-cancer-patients-in-bedworth-rugby-and-nuneaton-92746-30321211/#ixzz1mH46DWUa