CHORLEY MP Lindsay Hoyle has moved in to help a pensioner who applied for a heating grant.

The woman, who does not want to be named, called a freefone number printed in last week's Citizen to ask about the Warm Front grants.

She was dismayed to be told it would be 16 to 18 weeks before a surveyor could come out -- and a further nine to 12 months before the work could be carried out!

She contacted Mr Hoyle's constituency office and has now been sent an application form to apply for cavity wall insulation to help save money on her heating bills.

The nationwide scheme is run by the Eaga Partnership, a private company set up in 1991. It provides grants of up to £2,000 for energy saving measures to people who receive income-related benefits and those aged over 60 who receive a benefit in addition to the state pension. The grants are funded by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

A spokesman for the Eaga Partnership confirmed there was a nine to 12 month waiting list for work to be carried out because the scheme had been so popular, but said the waiting time for a surveyor was six to eight weeks in Chorley.

Extra contractors were being brought in to speed up the process, she said.

"We don't want to put people off. There's still plenty of money to be spent - the best thing is to join the queue and we will make sure we do the work as quickly as possible."

Mr Hoyle said: "I am pleased to help but it seems a shame that it then takes so long for the company which carries out the work to deliver the service people have applied for.

"Hopefully they will put measures in place to speed up the efficiency of the company."