THOUSANDS of low-income households will get up to £30,000 free cash for energy-saving home improvements.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has confirmed the support in her Autumn Budget document which was published yesterday, October 30.
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The cash grants form part of the government’s “Warm Homes Plan,” a scheme that aims to tackle fuel poverty and clean energy.
A total of £3.4billion has been earmarked to help roll out the scheme between 2025 and 2028.
Ms Reeves said in her Budget the plan will “transform homes” across the country by making them “cleaner and cheaper to run”.
This will be done by rolling out solar and heat pumps.
Those eligible will get access to up to £15,000 for energy performance improvements and an extra £15,000 to install low-carbon heating devices.
The money can be used for draughtproofing and double glazing and also for installing solar and heat pumps.
These grants will be completely free for homeowners and tenants.
The grants will be given to local authorities who will distribute them to households in the area.
But it is worth bearing in mind that not every local authority will take part.
So it may be worth getting in touch with your local council to see if they are running the scheme.
Councils are now able to express their interest in applying for funding ahead of the funding landing in homes from next spring.
The government outlined plans for the grants back in September, but the funding was reiterated during the budget.
It forms part of the Labour manifesto, with the government committed to upgrading five million homes over the next five years to cut bills for families and deliver warmer homes.
How to tell if your home is energy efficient
You can check if your home is energy efficient by getting a rating called an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
EPCs tell you how energy efficient a building is, with A being the most efficient and G being the most inefficient.
The lower your rating the quicker heat produced in your home from gas boilers escapes the building.
Homes with low ratings are also unlikely to have double glazing or insulation.
If you rent your home, you can find what rating your home has by visiting the Gov.uk website and searching https://find-energy-certificate.service.gov.uk/.
Then enter your post code and an updated rating should appear.
If you are worried about not having an energy-efficient home, there are a number of government support measures available.
Take a look at some of the schemes available below.
Boiler upgrade scheme
Through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, you could get a grant to cover part of the cost of replacing fossil fuel heating systems with a heat pump or biomass boiler.
You can get one grant per property, towards help with the following:
- £7,500 towards an air source heat pump
- £7,500 towards a ground source heat pump (including water source heat pumps and those on shared ground loops)
- £5,000 towards a biomass boiler
To qualify for this scheme you must own the property you are looking to upgrade.
You must find an MCS-certified installer to claim the grant on your behalf.
MCS is the certification scheme for energy-efficiency product installers.
You can find the nearest ones to you by visiting www.mcscertified.com/find-an-installer, but it is worth shopping for a few quotes.
Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund
The government is pumping £3.8billion over the next decade to help councils improve energy efficiency in homes.
The last round of funding was rolled out in April 2024, but applications for this are now closed.
Under the scheme, council houses were retrofitted with wall and loft insulation, double glazing, heat pumps, and solar panels.
The fund will open again in April 2025 and provide £1.2billion to social homes.
If eligible, those living in social housing will not need to do anything, as their housing provider will contact them.
Other households will need to check what their local authority has on offer, and they may need to apply for help.
Local authorities will deliver the funding in different ways.
Therefore, you will need to check directly with your council.
Great British Insulation scheme
You can get help insulating your home through the Government’s Great British Insulation Scheme.
The scheme is open to households in council tax bands A to E across England, Wales and Scotland.
You must also have an energy performance certificate rating of D or lower.
If you qualify, you could be in line for essential upgrades to your home, including roof, loft or cavity wall insulation – which could cut your annual energy bill by £100s.
Check whether you meet the eligibility criteria by visiting www.gov.uk/apply-great-british-insulation-scheme.
4 ways to keep your energy bills low
Laura Court-Jones, Small Business Editor at Bionic shared her tips.
1. Turn your heating down by one degree
You probably won’t even notice this tiny temperature difference, but what you will notice is a saving on your energy bills as a result. Just taking your thermostat down a notch is a quick way to start saving fast. This one small action only takes seconds to carry out and could potentially slash your heating bills by £171.70.
2. Switch appliances and lights off
It sounds simple, but fully turning off appliances and lights that are not in use can reduce your energy bills, especially in winter. Turning off lights and appliances when they are not in use, can save you up to £20 a year on your energy bills
3. Install a smart meter
Smart meters are a great way to keep control over your energy use, largely because they allow you to see where and when your gas and electricity is being used.
4. Consider switching energy supplier
No matter how happy you are with your current energy supplier, they may not be providing you with the best deals, especially if you’ve let a fixed-rate contract expire without arranging a new one. If you haven’t browsed any alternative tariffs lately, then you may not be aware that there are better options out there.