A CORNWALL councillor is pushing for a change in the law after discovering poor residents living in park homes do not qualify for the same benefits as those in traditional housing.

Derris Watson, who represents St Cleer on Cornwall Council, has been lobbying the council to help her push the Government to alter their energy-saving schemes.

"At Cornwall Council I've been pushing insulation of park homes," she said.

"All the residents have to buy their electricity from the landlord of the site so they're not eligible for the Warm Homes initiative.

"If you're on a low income they'll come and put insulation in for nothing but park homes can't take advantage of that."

Mrs Watson said she had been fighting for a change as a lot of senior citizens lived in park homes.

"We've been lobbying the Government through the Advisory Forum on Ageing," she said. "A representative from the South West talks to government ministers each quarter. We want to get the rules changed."

She said Cornwall Council was hopefully starting to do some work regarding insulating park homes which would be positive.

A spokeswoman for Cornwall Council said the eligibility criteria for the Green Deal initiative – which intends to reduce carbon emissions cost effectively by revolutionising the energy efficiency of British properties – was still being developed by central Government.

"It is likely that the scheme will apply to park homes, and the same criteria will apply to all dwellings, including park homes," she said.

"Cornwall Council is also running a scheme this year to help park home owners to insulate their dwellings, including grants and loans for insulation improvements."

The council said applications for the Park Homes Project would be invited from residents living on a 'Protected' mobile home site.

A Protected Site is defined under the Mobile Homes Act 1983 as one which has received planning permission for permanent residential use and has been issued with a licence.

The council said sites would be chosen based on the percentage of vulnerable residents living in fuel poverty.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change said: "The Warm Home Discount scheme is funded by energy suppliers and provides money off bills for poor pensioners and other vulnerable groups, directly on customer accounts.

"There is some help available for people in park homes under existing requirements on suppliers to provide energy efficiency measures.

"We are also looking to ensure those in park homes can benefit from the Energy Company Obligation, which will provide support to those who need it most."

The Warm Home Discount Scheme provides a £120 rebate on winter electricity bills for qualifying pensioners. For more details, visit http://bit.ly/yBbqmT