VULNERABLE people in York, North and East Yorkshire are being encouraged to sign up to a scheme aimed at keeping homes warm as the winter weather continues to bite.

The npower Health Through Warmth, which operates in York, North and East Yorkshire, is celebrating after helping thousands of vulnerable people to stay warm at home this winter and wants more people to come forward and sign up.

Between November 2012 and February 2013, the scheme, which helps people whose health is affected by cold living conditions by installing or replacing heating systems, took more than 2,000 referrals and secured £1.2million to fund measures, such as new boilers across the country.

It helps vulnerable people in York, North and East Yorkshire through partnerships with local organisations and is available to homeowners who have a cold-related illness, a low income with little or no savings and who are unable to fully fund measures.

You do not have to be, or become, an npower customer to benefit from the scheme.

To support vulnerable people, the scheme finds funding from different organisations and this winter secured more than £150,000 of charitable funds, as well as contributing £327,500 from the unique npower Health Through Warmth Crisis Fund.

Elaine Midwinter, npower Health Through Warmth scheme manager, said: “Living in a cold home can have a severe impact on health, so we are pleased that we have been able to assist so many people this winter.

“Even though the freezing weather is hopefully behind us for another year, help is still available from the scheme.

“Thanks to our partnerships with organisations such as home improvement agencies and charities, we are hoping to help even more people in York, North and East Yorkshire with heating and insulation and we are encouraging anyone who feels that they, or someone they know, may be eligible, to get in touch.”

For further details about Health Through Warmth please visit healththroughwarmth.com or email healththroughwarmth@npower.com