I have heard this story from a couple of local sources recently:

Door-to-Door canvassers are calling about home insulation and asking to check that properties are fully insulated. The new feature of this scam is that canvassers are scaring people by falsely claiming new loft insulation has to fitted by the end of this year as the government is going to fine everyone who has not fully insulated their loft.

The scammers are using a confusion around the government's planned  "Green Deal" programme which does aim to insulate all homes in Britain within 20 years and improve the energy efficiency of UK properties. This is a commercially operated initiative which will enable people to make energy efficiency improvements to their homes at no upfront cost but will be repaid through fuel bills.

However government are NOT going to fine anyone and there is no compulsion to have any work done.

Please keep an eye and ear open and particularly look out for your more vulnerable neighbours.

More information

• About the Green Deal on the website of the government Department of Energy and Climate Change
• The website of the Green Deal Initiative - with links to information about approved assesors
• Information about Doorstep selling and the cancellation of contracts from the government Department of Business Innovation and Skills