New statistics show hundreds of vouchers were given to residents in Northumberland as part of a Government energy-saving scheme before it was scrapped.

The green homes grant, which was designed to help homes become more energy-efficient around the country, eventually helped fewer than 10% of the number of homes it was planned to as part of the project.

Having launched in September, the scheme was designed to help homeowners make their properties more energy-efficient with funding worth either £5,000, or £10,000 for those on low-incomes.

The figures from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy revealed that residents in the county applied for 645 vouchers before the scheme was scrapped at the end of March.

Of the voucher applications 233 were then approved and given, with 142 of them being awarded to low-income households.

After the project was axed, the TUC claimed that the scheme has been a missed opportunity for both potential jobs and more efficient homes.

“The green homes grant was an opportunity to create thousands of decent jobs in making our homes warmer and greener,” said TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady.

“But at the current rate, it will take two centuries to reach all English homes.”

Nationally, a total of £1.5 billion had been set aside to fund the scheme through the 600,000 vouchers that had been hoped to be given out.

However only 49,000 vouchers – which were worth £208 million – had been issued by April 19 according to the BEIS.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng admitted that applications to apply for the vouchers hadn’t been dealt with and processed fast enough.

The scheme had been set to improve insulation and introduce low-carbon heating in hundreds of thousands of homes.