PENSIONERS in Cherwell district may be eligible for low-interest home improvement loans following the approval of a new scheme.

Cherwell District Council is among 16 councils able to get cash from a £16m pot of Government funding, targeting private home owners aged over 60.

They will be available over the next three years and are for substantial improvements such as replacing roofs, treating damp or installing insulation.

A total of £1m is available for Cherwell pensioners and interest rates will be set below commercial rates - up to one per cent below the Bank of England rate - with repayments which can be delayed until elderly people are taken into care or on death.