We have been looking into the various grants and schemes available for homeowners and tenants looking to improve their home’s energy efficiency.
The good news is that there are several schemes offering financial support to get insulation upgraded and energy use reduced in your home.
The bad news is it can be hard to navigate; the schemes change; and not everyone who would seem to qualify ends up being able to access the grants. So, we offer what guidance we have to get you started.
Check the government websites
To get the most up-to-date information, check out the government’s pages on Energy Grants for your home. They summarise the schemes, and have some eligibility checks you can use.
Current Help to Heat schemes aimed at making homes warmer and cheaper to heat include:
- Boiler Upgrade Scheme
- Energy Company Obligation (ECO4)
- Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS)
Great British Insulation Scheme
A lot of grants are means-tested, but the Great British Insulation Scheme is not. To qualify you need to be Council Tax Band D or lower and have an EPC rating of D or worse. You can check your EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) here . If you don’t have a current EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) some organisations will estimate it from similar properties in the vicinity.
If you do qualify the likeliest measures to be offered are loft insulation (if your current level is no more than a few inches between the rafters) or cavity wall insulation, as these are deemed to be most cost-effective. Providers vary in what they offer. The scheme runs until 2026 so applying soon is recommended.
The scheme is most commonly accessed through your energy provider – some have a form on the app or website. However not all companies offer this. Gov.uk have a helpline: 0800 098 7950.
Within South Staffordshire, Community Home Solutions work with the council and should be able to guide you to access the scheme. They can also check if you qualify for other grants. Their helpline is 0115 718 1822. When you check for eligibility, don’t be put off by questions about income and benefits: these are just to check if you qualify for further funding.
ECO4 : targetted to low income/poor health
Possible routes to these schemes include Beat the Cold ( 01782 914 915) and Community Home Solutions . If you think you could benefit get in touch with them to find out more.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides grants to install heat pumps or other low carbon heating systems to replace gas or oil boilers in homes and businesses. You can get £7500 towards a heat pump system, so long as it meets certain standards. For a simple installation, this covers a large proportion of the cost.
Let us know how you get on
We would love to hear from you about your experiences in applying for grants – whether good or tricky. Your experiencce will help guide others. Contact us to let us know.