Jump directly to the content
WARM FRONT

Save £310 a year on your energy bills as thousands of homes set to get new insulation grants – here’s who is eligible

BRITS could save £310 a year on their energy bills as thousands of homes are set to be eligible for a new insulation grant.

Under plans announced today, the new Eco+ scheme will extend support to those who do not currently benefit from any other Government support to upgrade their homes.

The new Eco+ scheme will be aimed at those who do not currently benefit from any other Government support to upgrade their homes.
2
The new Eco+ scheme will be aimed at those who do not currently benefit from any other Government support to upgrade their homes.Credit: Getty

Joining the existing £6.6billion "help to heat" energy scheme this new £1billion funding will ensure hundreds of thousands more households benefit from new home insulation that will help keep homes warmer and so lowering bills.

The scheme will also be backed by a £18million public information campaign offering technical tips and advice for people to cut their energy use, while also keeping warm this winter.

Around 80 per cent of the funding for the Eco+ scheme will be made available for those households who are in some of the least energy-efficient homes in the country – that is, those with an EPC rating of D or below – and in the lower council tax bands. 

This will benefit those households who do not currently benefit from any other Government support to upgrade their homes.

Read More on Energy Bills

Around a fifth of the fund will also be targeted to those who are the most vulnerable, including those on means tested benefits or in fuel poverty.

Measures include loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and smart heating controls for middle income households.

The Government is also expanding its Help for Households campaign to help customers to reduce their own household energy usage and bills, while also giving vulnerable groups the right information for doing this without harming their health.

Business and Energy Secretary Grant Shapps said: “The Government put immediate help in place to support households in the wake of global energy price rises caused by Putin’s illegal march on Ukraine.

“Today, we launch the first of many measures to ensure the British public are never put in this position again as we work towards an energy independent future.

“A new Eco scheme will enable thousands more to insulate their homes, protecting the pounds in their pockets, and creating jobs across the country. 

“And in the short term, our new public information campaign will also give people the tools they need to reduce their energy use while keeping warm this winter.”

The Energy Company Obligation (Eco) schemes, which launched in January 2013 have delivered as many as 3.5m energy-efficiency measures in around 2.4m homes.

The Eco+ scheme, which will run from Spring 2023 for up to three years, extends that support even further and will see hundreds of thousands of households receive new insulation, saving them around £310 a year. 

Greenpeace UK energy campaigner Georgia Whitaker warned the funding was not nearly enough as nearly seven million homes are suffering fuel poverty, while 19 million homes in England and Wales are badly insulated.

"This is a drop in the ocean compared to what people actually need to stay warm and well this winter and in the winters to come," she said.

"At least £6 billion is needed by the end of this Parliament for a nationwide insulation programme that will not only help reduce our emissions but will also reduce the terrible levels of fuel poverty in the UK.

"The sooner the Government realises this and actually gets going the sooner we'll have more affordable bills, more energy security and a more stable climate."

What other support is available?

There are several support packages offered to households struggling to pay their energy bills.

The Energy Company Obligation Scheme offers grants for improving the energy efficiency of your home.

The ECO grants are given out by energy suppliers and can help you replace an old boiler, add cavity wall insulation or loft insulation.

The support ranges from covering some of the cost, to all of it, and can save you hundreds of pounds.

Contact your local council to find out if they’re taking part in the ECO scheme, or contact your energy supplier directly.

You can find contact details of suppliers who are taking part in the scheme on the Ofgem website.

Another helpful scheme is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme which offers a grant for those replacing their fossil fuel heating systems with a heat pump or biomass boiler.

Recipients can get a partial grant to help them cover the cost.

This scheme is only open to housholds in England and Wales and you should check you're eligible before you apply - for example, you must own the property you're applying for.

To apply, you'll just need to book a suitable contractor who must be MCS certified.

You can then book your installation after agreeing a quote with your contractor who will then apply for the grant on your behalf.

However much you receive in support will be deducted from your final bill.

Another home support scheme is the winter fuel payment scheme, where over 65s can get between £100 and £300 to offset the cost of keeping their homes warm.

Most payments will be made automatically in November and December but it's best to wait until January 2023 before you contact the government if you haven't got yours.

Another scheme recently launched to help people pay their energy bills is the National Grid Scheme.

Some energy suppliers will offer customers £100 if they turn off their appliances this Winter amid blackout warnings.

READ MORE SUN STORIES

Read More on The Sun

Only customers with smart meters will be able to take part and not all suppliers have signed up to the scheme.

You can see which suppliers are offering the £100 here.

Among the measures offered under the new scheme will be smart heating controls
2
Among the measures offered under the new scheme will be smart heating controlsCredit: Getty
Topics