People living on an estate are to be made exempt from a hike in energy bills for council tenants.

Households on the Orchard Estate in Woodford Green are already benefiting from a new £11million heating system, which will cut annual bills by up to £334 a year.

And now Redbridge Council has decided to waive a seven per cent increase in bills, which will be endured by other council tenants across the borough, with an agreed overall fee of £8.42 a week per property.

Residents previously campaigned against rises in energy bills when the blocks on the estate were served by an outdated system, prompting the installation of more efficient, gas powered heating.

Cllr Gwyneth Deakins said: “We have waived the new seven per cent charge for Orchard Estate residents because we promised them in 2012 that their bills would be reduced because they had put up with the old system for so long.

"I am delighted that it has proved possible to offer these savings to our residents, as we promised when the eco-project was launched.

“They had a lot to put up with when the work was going on, so it is right that they should benefit now from a big reduction in their bills.”