Energy efficiency measures can reduce fuel bills and conserve heat, giving you a warmer home. You might be able to get help with your energy costs or to make your home more energy efficient. Grants and loans are available for homeowner-occupiers, landlords and tenants for insulation works and heating installations through a variety of schemes.

Energy Company Obligation, Ofgem

The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a Government programme where major utilities are required to provide funding towards the cost of domestic energy efficiency improvements. 

The ECO4 funding scheme runs from 1  April 2022 until 31 March 2026.

There are a wide range of energy efficiency measures that can be installed under ECO4 including insulation measures, heating measures and connections to district heating systems. More information can be found on Ofgem's website.

ECO4 will support low income households living in the least efficient homes with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rated D, E, F, G (some expectations apply).

You will qualify if you are in receipt of one of the following benefits:

• Child Benefit – depends on income threshold; see table below
• Housing Benefit
• Income-Based Job Seekers Allowance
• Income Related Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Pension Credit
• Pension Credit Savings Credit
• Tax Credit (Child Tax Credits and Working Tax Credit)
• Universal Credit

	1 child	2 children	3 children	4 children
One parent	£19,900	£24,800	£26,900	£34,500
Couple	£27,500	£32,300	£37,200	£42,000

You can check eligibility and what assistance is available by contacting one of the obligated energy suppliers offering assistance under this scheme; see ECO supplier contact details | Ofgem.

There are minimum requirements for a property’s Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) rating to be increased. SAP are used to underpin EPC’s. To meet the minimum requirement any starting Band F or G property treated must be improved to at least a Band D. Any starting Band D or E property treated must be improved to at least a Band C.

More information is available on online.

ECO Flexibility Assistance

ECO Flexibility Assistance is part of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme, where participating Local Authorities can refer private tenure households that it considers to be living in fuel poverty or on a low income and vulnerable to the effects of living in a cold home. Find out more on our ECO Flexibility webpage.

Better Care Fund Warm Up grants

These grants, up to a maximum £2,000 per property, provide top-up funding for energy efficiency measures where energy providers are part-funding energy efficiency measures under their Energy Company Obligation (ECO) or other government sponsored scheme. 

Households that meet the eligibility criteria for ECO or ECO Flexibility assistance will be deemed eligible for a Warm Up Grant.

Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery

The Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery scheme was launched in August 2020. This £500 million scheme funds energy efficiency and low carbon heating projects for low income households across England. It supports delivery of the target to reduce fuel poverty in England and the UK’s pathway to net zero by 2050, as well as stimulating the economic recovery following COVID-19, by supporting and creating green jobs.

The Local Authority Delivery scheme aims to upgrade around 50,000 homes, saving consumers money on their energy bills, while making it easier to keep their homes warm.

Phase 2 provided funding of £300 million to local energy hubs, working in partnership with local authorities to continue to deliver energy efficiency upgrades of up to 30,000 homes across England, to those most in need.

Applications for this phase are now closed.

Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery - Sustainable Warmth 2022-2023

The Sustainable Warmth Fund is a government fund which brings together two fuel poverty schemes: Local Authority Delivery Phase 3 (to support low-income households heated by mains gas) and Home Upgrade Grant Phase 1 (to support low-income households with homes off-gas grid).

The scheme is being delivered by the Cosy Devon partnership which consists of Devon County Council, East Devon, Mid Devon, North Devon, South Hams, Teignbridge and Torridge District Councils, Torbay Council, West Devon Borough Council and Exeter City Council.

The scheme will offer eligible householders the chance to improve the warmth and energy efficiency of their homes by ‘retrofitting’ them.

What is ‘retrofitting’?

‘Retrofitting’ is work carried out to improve an existing building by making it more energy efficient. Many homes, particularly older ones, have issues with damp, condensation, draughts, and insulation which make them difficult to heat and can have consequences for our health and quality of life. Retrofit work aims to solve these issues by taking a whole-house approach to identifying the most impactful and cost-effective measures. When executed properly, these changes can make your home warmer, easier to heat, healthier for your family and for the environment. Improvements will also reduce energy bills and lower a home’s carbon emissions. More than 20% of Devon’s carbon emissions are caused by our homes.

The scheme was available to Devon residents who have an annual combined household income of less than £30,000 and whose homes have an energy Performance Certificate rating of E, F or G.

Applications for this phase are now closed.

Home Upgrade Grant – phase 2

The Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) will provide energy efficiency upgrades and low carbon heating via local authority funding, to households in England that:

• Are low income – combined household income of less than £31,000
• Are off the gas grid
• Have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) D, E, F G

Homeowners on a low income do not contribute to the cost of upgrades.

For those renting their home:

• private landlords must contribute at least a third of the total cost of the upgrade
• social landlords must contribute at least half of the total cost

All upgrades need to be within the relevant cost caps to be eligible.

The scheme is being delivered by the Cosy Devon partnership which consists of Devon County Council, East Devon, Exeter City Council, Mid Devon, North Devon, Teignbridge, Torridge and Torbay Council.

The scheme will run from April 2023 to March 2025.

More information will be available shortly.

Boiler Upgrade Scheme

The government will provide grants to encourage property owners to install low carbon heating systems such as heat pumps, through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). These grants will help property owners overcome the upfront cost of low carbon heating technologies.

The scheme will be open to domestic and small non-domestic properties in England and Wales. It will run from 2022 to 2025.

Check if you may be eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme

Warm Home Discount

During the winter the government's Warm Home Discount scheme could get you £140 off your electricity bill.

The money isn’t paid to you; it’s a one-off discount on your electricity bill between October and March. You may be able to get the discount on your gas bill instead if your supplier provides you with both gas and electricity. Contact your supplier to find out.

The discount will not affect your cold weather payment or winter fuel payment.

Eligibility

There are 2 ways to qualify for the Warm Home Discount Scheme:

• You get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit - known as the 'core group'
• You're on a low income and meet your energy supplier's criteria for the scheme - known as the broader group

Warm Home Discount scheme overview

Winter Fuel Payment

A payment of £100 - £300 tax-free to help pay your heating bills, if you were born on or before 5 January 1952 for eligible people.

Winter Fuel Payment overview

Cold Weather Payment

Payments are made when your local temperature is either recorded as, or forecast to be, an average of zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days. You’ll get a payment of £25 for each seven day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March. Please note that eligibility criteria apply.

Cold Weather Payment overview

Energy Saving Trust

General advice and information on heating your home, reducing heat loss, generating renewable energy and more is available on the Energy Saving Trust website.

Energy 361

Energy 361 can help you save money on fuel and water bills. Visit 361 Energy at their energy clinics for help with:

• energy and water debt
• discounts and changing supplier
• energy saving solutions
• free home visits

Services include:

• in-home energy visits to offer practical energy saving solutions
• help understanding bills and how to pay less
• advice on energy and water debt, including debt write-off
• energy efficiency funding for home improvements
• free energy saving measures such as LED lightbulbs

Clinics take place every Thursday 10am–1pm at Transform 4 Work, Unit 1 the Candar, Ilfracombe.

To book, call 01271 599361 or email: info@361energy.org

More information is available on the 361 Energy website.

LEAP

361 Energy offer local residents a completely free of charge service called LEAP (Local Energy Advice Partnership). LEAP can help you to save money and keep your home warm and cosy.

If you’re eligible, you will get a FREE home visit from a friendly, qualified Home Energy Advisor. LEAP can:

• help check if you are on the cheapest energy tariffs - could save you over £280 a year
• install free, simple energy saving measures which can save the average household £30 on their energy bills a year
• give you day-to-day energy efficiency hints and tips and ensure your heating system is set up to keep you warm and save money
• arrange a free telephone advice service to help with benefits, debt and other money problems
• refer you for further energy efficiency improvements, such as loft insulation or a new boiler

You may be eligible for the LEAP service if one of the below apply. If you:

• have a low income
• receive tax credits
• receive Housing Benefit
• receive an income or disability related benefit
• have a long term illness or disability

Call 361 Energy (freephone) for more information: 0800 060 7567.

More information is available on LEAP's website.

Energy Saving Devon

Energy Saving Devon (formerly Cosy Devon) is a partnership between all the local authorities in Devon, their strategic partners and local community energy organisations and provides ways to improve the energy efficiency of your home and prevent unnecessary heat loss.

Use the Plan Builder to identify where the opportunities are to make your home warmer, reduce your emissions and cut your energy bills.

Regulation of Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard ‘MEES’

Since 1 April 2020, landlords can no longer let or continue to let properties covered by the MEES Regulations if they have an EPC rating below E, unless they have a valid exemption in place.

If you are currently planning to let a property with an EPC rating of F or G, you need to improve the property’s rating to E, or register an exemption, before you enter into a new tenancy.

If you are currently letting a property with an EPC rating of F or G, and you haven’t already taken action, you must improve the property’s rating to E immediately, or register an exemption. 

If your property is currently empty, it is advisable to seek advice on how to ensure the property meets the standard before you consider letting it.

Empty homes can be a really important asset in helping us to meet local housing need. Please contact us to see what assistance is available.

Energy Redress Scheme

Warmer Homes North Devon will work to support vulnerable patients with health issues and those more at risk from the impacts of Covid-19 which could be made worse by living in a cold home. It will provide one-to-one in-depth personalised energy advice to patients, when they are at their most vulnerable and may have energy related money issues or risk living in a cold and damp house. Advice will be given by a Warmer Homes Advisor and volunteers who will work alongside hospital discharge teams, working as part of ‘help returning home’ schemes to provide patients with energy advice, home visits and case work for those needing extra support.

The project will be hosted by North Devon Voluntary Service, managed by 361 Energy CIC and delivered through the One Northern Devon Fuel Poverty Group. The project, which covers the Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust area, will run for 2 years.

Home Energy Service

We have commissioned 361 Energy CIC to provide home energy service and will be targeted at residents who need support and are at more risk of fuel poverty, namely, in the following priority order:

1. Residents who have applied for a Disabled Facilities Grant
2. Homeless applicants who have been supported to move into private rented accommodation
3. Residents in receipt of state benefits in relation to Affordable Warmth Criteria
4. Residents that meet the criteria in North Devon Council’s Statement of Intent
5. Residents with a low household income that live in a property with high running costs (this can be determined via a fuel poverty assessment)

The service will provide tailored energy saving advice, bespoke to individuals’ circumstances. The advice will cover what interventions are required at a property level ie measures that could be installed, what funding options are available, changes in behaviour, tariff information and fuel savings’ tips and information on how best to utilise heating system to minimise emissions.

The project is funded for three years (it started on 1 October 2021) and aims to assist 200 households per year. 

The first quarter report has highlighted potential financial benefits for those households assessed, of just over £10,000 and 10 households are continuing to receive follow up casework, including ECO grant application submissions.

National Energy Action

NEA have produced a leaflet that provides practical information to help people manage their energy bills:

NEA Home Energy Checklist