Social housing tenants could be looking forward to reduced energy bills as part of a £3 million Government scheme.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change have pledged to install solar panels and eco-friendly boilers in thousands of council homes as part of their commitment to a greener Britain.

A report from egovmonitor.com reports the move comes as part of the £15 million Renewable Heat Premium Payment Budget project which was announced earlier this year.

It is thought that those in social housing jobs may have to bid for a share of the fund by highlighting the value for money they will provide in their area.

In an interview with thisismoney.co.uk, Energy and Climate Change minister Greg Barker claimed it was important that savings on energy bills were delivered to those who needed them the most.

He said: "If people choose to go green, they want to see real savings. This new programme is directly targeted at many of the people who will be struggling to pay their heating bills next winter.

"It will drive up the take-up of new heating technologies in social housing and help slash their dependence on big energy companies and expensive tariffs."

The fund could also allow tenants to cash in on renewable heat incentive (RHI) which comes into play next year. The incentive aims pay homeowners and tenants for the amount of energy their homes generates using green sources.