Cash For Ash in the UK

Greenies are ash-holes.

Wealthy owners of country estates are rewarded for using excessive amounts of heat – as long as it is made using ‘green’ energy.

Some are given as much as £50,000 every year in taxpayers’ money so the UK can meet renewable energy targets agreed with the European Union.

The House of Schivas estate (pictured) is under investigation after being paid thousands in subsidies to heat its swimming pool which it is said to have had on all the time

Rewards increase as the landowners use more heat, so profits can be maximised by turning up the temperature.

The House of Schivas estate in Aberdeenshire run by Lord Catto, 66, is under investigation after the Daily Mail found it has been paid thousands in government subsidies to heat its indoor swimming pool 24 hours a day.

A reporter was told the water was kept hot at all times, even in summer.

In another case an undercover reporter was advised by a green energy salesman to raise the heat in the pool at a country manor to take advantage of the system.

The extraordinary deals mean the wealthy landowners are guaranteed to get the payments for 20 years. Almost £800million has been set aside to cover the payments this year and costs are expected to rise to more than £1billion by 2020.

Meanwhile thousands of homeowners across the country struggle to heat their homes and pay their winter bills.