HOUSEHOLDS up and down the country are being given the chance to make their homes more energy efficient with grants of up to £10,000 from councils.
Most areas offering the free improvements are awarding work that is worth up to £10,000 for those on low incomes.
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Select councils in England have been given government funding to install energy saving measures to any homeowners who apply and would benefit from the scheme.
If you rent there’s some money on offer too, but the grants are lower and you’d have to get your landlord on board to help cover parts of the costs as well.
The Sun looked into 20 councils in England to see how much they would pay for work to be completed on homes that needed their energy efficiency improving.
Halton borough council for example has secured £728,000 of the funding, which will be delegated to improve 72 properties in the area.
If you meet the right eligibility criteria you will be able to have your home fitted with measures that could save hundreds on your energy bills, all free of charge.
In some areas like Liverpool, residents can benefit from free property surveys which can typically cost up to £120 according to Reallymoving.
Otherwise the money can be put toward measures like cavity wall and loft insulation, underfloor heating, energy efficient doors or the replacement of single-glazed windows.
But the grants are separate to the Green Homes Grant vouchers that were open for applications until March 31 this year, as councils are offering out the extra financial assistance to anyone who missed that deadline.
The work that would take place on your home would be subject to eligibility from tradespeople available in the area and what your home is in need of.
The improvements are set to save households hundreds of pounds in bills and reduce energy waste.
Millions of households face paying £139 more for energy bills from October, thanks to Ofgem’s recent energy price cap announcement.
So alleviating some of the financial burden of installing energy saving measures will be welcomed by many households.
The improvements could save as much as £600 a year on bills in some cases.
Am I eligible for the home improvements?
For the majority of areas to qualify for the improvements, homeowners must have a total income of less than £30,000.
In some locations it can be slightly higher as in West Berkshire you may be eligible for a grant if your household income is less than £35,000 per year, or if someone in your household receives benefits.
In some cases, as with Leicestershire’s grant, you’re still eligible if you earn up to £40,260 while you have three more children.
Also for anyone to qualify, the property must have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E, F, or G which is below the government’s blanket targeted C and above by 2035.
You can check the rating of your property by searching your address on the government’s tool, then you’ll have a better idea of whether you are eligible.
If you rent your home instead, you can still apply for the scheme subject to eligibility and a survey carried out.
In many cases your landlord could be required to fund a third of the costs of the measures installed – up to a maximum of £5,000.
How much could I be offered in grants?
If your income is less than £30,000 then you could receive up to £10,000 in the offered grant.
If your household income is more than £30,000 a year you can qualify for up to £5,000 of grant funding.
You have to pay a third of the costs as a contribution as well though.
You won’t just be handed £10,000 or £5,000 in free cash though, the grant amount is more a reflection of how much the works would take to carry out otherwise.
So instead of forking out up to £10,000 from your own pocket, the improvements will be made on your behalf.
Different councils offer varying services too for the money.
For example Hartlepool council puts the grant money towards air source heat pumps and Ssolar PV (Photovoltaics) as well as the single glazed window replacements that most other councils offer.
The majority of councils offer external wall and loft insulation too as standard.
How do I find out if my area offers the grant?
Different councils have different names for the grants , residents in Lanchashire for example might find it’s referred to as the “Cosy Homes in Lancashire’” initiative locally.
You’ll be able to find somewhere online that your local council has declared they have been successful in winning funding from the government under the Green Homes Grant.
Search for the energy grant on your local council’s website to see the full details listed.
Councils like Leicester and Hartlepool are partnered with E.ON to deliver the grants.
But you don’t have to be an E.ON customer to take advantage of the scheme.
If your local council is paired with the energy giant then you can contact [email protected] to discuss your eligibility.
You’ll have to be quick to get in touch, regardless of how the scheme is offered out in your area as many only run until December this year.
Some areas ask that you apply before the end of August, which gives you very little time left, and some deadlines are slightly longer with a September deadline.
How else can I save on my energy costs?
Brits can apply for extra help with their energy bills worth £140 with the warm homes discount scheme.
This scheme is usually paid directly to your energy supplier which will then apply the discount to your bills, or you can be sent a £140 voucher if you have a pre-payment meter.
Low income households can get £25 a week to help with energy bills during the winter thanks to the cold weather payment scheme too.
You’ll get a payment if the average temperature in your area is zero degrees celsius or below over the space of a week, but you’ll need to be on some kind of means tested benefits to claim.
You could also get up to £300 off your fuel payments during the coldest months of the year with the annual tax-free benefit that’s available in winter fuel payments.
The winter fuel payments are made automatic for most people, usually in November or December, and you’ll be sent a letter telling you how much you’ll get and when exactly you can expect it.
Check with your supplier
You can also try checking with your energy supplier as they sometimes offer free help to improve the energy efficiency of your home.
EDF for example has a Customer Support Fund which awards grants to some of the most vulnerable customer households.
It’s designed to help struggling customers stay out of debt but you can also use the money to buy essential energy efficient white goods like cookers, refrigerators, or washing machines.
Speak to your energy supplier to see what they can offer you, and it may even be a good opportunity to shop around and see what support other providers can give should you need it.
But if you’re not eligible for any of the grant scheme’s we’ve come up with ways you can keep your regular energy costs low too.
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