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Absolutely, if you are eligible, you can get energy efficiency grants you don’t have to pay back through government schemes. UK government schemes like Energy Company Obligation (ECO4), Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), and Home Upgrade Scheme (HUG2) provide various energy efficiency grants for different measures.
You can get grants for free boiler upgrades, insulation measures, heat pump installations, and central heating system installation. These schemes provide complete and partial funding for energy-efficient heating systems that you don’t have to pay back.
Energy efficiency grants help reduce energy costs, improve comfort, and increase the resale value of your property.
There are three major energy efficiency schemes currently available for UK households. Below is a detailed overview of all of these schemes including their eligibility criteria, measures covered, and application process. Let’s explore the grants in more depth.
1. Energy Company Obligation (ECO4)
ECO4 is a government-funded scheme to alleviate fuel poverty, reduce energy costs, and make homes more cosy. This scheme runs with a whole-house approach and provides all energy efficiency measures one may require to keep one’s home warmer. ECO4 targets low-income and low-energy-efficiency (LILLE indicator) homes.
Measures Covered
- Free boiler upgrade: Under this scheme, homeowners can upgrade their old inefficient boilers with advanced condensing boilers.
- Air-source heat pumps: Off-gas grid households can get air-source heat pumps installed including air-to-air and air-to-water heat pumps.
- Central Heating System: Households with no existing central heating systems. The first-time central heating grant covers the entire heating system, radiators, pipework, and thermostats.
- Insulation Measures: insulation measures such as loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, external wall insulation, and floor insulation, are all covered under ECO4 grants.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for ECO4 grants, you need to meet the following qualifying criteria:
- Benefit Recipient: To get a grant under the ECO4 scheme, you need to be a qualifying benefit recipient under different government financial support systems.
- Boiler System Installed Before 2005: If you are applying for a boiler replacement, your current boiler system should be installed before 2005.
- Gas Meter Installed Before April 2022: if you need a boiler installation at your property, it must have a gas meter installed before April 2022. In case there is no gas meter installed, you might qualify for heat pump installation.
- Must Meet LILEE Indicator: Households who are applying for these grants must meet low-income & Low-Energy-Efficiency criteria to be eligible for ECO4 grants.
- EPC Rating D or Lower: to qualify for these grants, your property’s EPC rating must be D, E, F, or G. EPC rating indicates the energy efficiency of a property.
If you meet the above criteria, you can apply for ECO4 grants through the following application process:
Application Process
To apply for ECO4 grants, you can visit the Berks Insulation website and follow the instructions below:
- Use the Eligibility Calculator: This calculator is provided at the beginning of this page and home page of the website. You can confirm your eligibility for the grant by answering simple questions about your property.
- Fill Out Contact Form: Once you confirm your eligibility, you should fill out the provided contact form so our grant experts can contact you for further process.
- Be Ready For Property Visit: our expert heating engineers will visit your property for an energy efficiency assessment. This will confirm if you are eligible for the grants or not. Plus, we will also make recommendations for energy efficiency measures required.
- Get Heating System Installed: Once you qualify, we will apply for the grants on your behalf and you will get your heating system or energy efficiency measures installed.
- Post-Installation Support: by using the services of Berks Insulation, you will get post-installation support to ensure you are completely satisfied with the installation.
This is a simple five-step process to ensure your home is warmer and energy efficient.
Check your Eligibility Now
If you are receiving benefits from the UK Government then you might be eligible for free insulation grants.
2. Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is another government-funded scheme to support vulnerable households. This helps them keep their homes warmer and promotes renewable energy sources for heating and hot water to reduce carbon emissions.
Here are the essential details about the scheme to help you get hold of one.
- Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible for BUS grants, you must own the property, have a valid EPC rating, the property must be off the gas grid and use fossil fuels for heating, and have an energy supply requirement of no more than 45KWth.
- Measures Covered: BUS grants cover different energy measures including Biomass boilers, ground source and air source heat pump grants. It provides partial funding which is different for heat pumps (£7500) and Biomass Heat pumps (£5000)
- Application Process: To apply for BUS grants, you can contact local authorities or you can also contact a BUS installer. The typical application process takes around 120 days.
3. Home Upgrade Scheme (HUG2)
Home Upgrade Scheme is currently running its second phase to provide energy-efficient heating and hot water systems. Following are the details about the HUG2 scheme:
- Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible for HUG2 upgrades, your property must be off the gas grid and have an eligible EPC rating of D or Lower. You must be a resident of the property in participating local authority areas. You must have a household income of £36000 or less.
- Measures Covered: Under HUG2 grants, insulation upgrades, renewable energy heating systems, heating controls, and solar panels are provided to eligible households.
- Application Process: To apply for HUG2 grants, you need to contact local authorities as they are responsible for the distribution of these measures.
All of these grants are available for vulnerable and low-income households located in the UK and Great Britain specifically. Residents of North Ireland can contact local authorities to check eligibility for the scheme.
Conclusion
To wrap up the discussion, multiple major energy efficiency grants are available through different government-backed schemes. These grants include heating measures such as boiler, heat pumps, and central heating system installations. They also provide insulation measures as energy efficiency sources and renewable energy sources to reduce carbon emissions.
This article explores the major three government schemes. These schemes provide energy-efficient heating and hot water systems. These schemes targets low-income and low-energy-efficient households in Great Britain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Energy efficiency schemes like ECO4 and BUS provide energy-efficient heating systems to help to heat groups. These schemes provide systems like heat boilers, heat pumps, and central heating systems. In some areas of the UK, schemes like Warm Homes serve the best. Households can also get hold of these schemes by contacting the local council and proving the vulnerability to cold weather.
That depends on which schemes you are going to apply through. Schemes like BUS provide funding up to £7,500 to install a heat pump and £5,000 for the installation of a Biomass boiler. While the ECO4 schemes provide complete funding for the upgrades, including the installation charges.
No, if you get the funding from official government schemes, you do not have to pay back a single penny. This is all funded by energy suppliers, obligated by the government. Which means, you can have any heating system installed at your property (of course which suits your home).
Yes, these grants are especially for older people who are more vulnerable to getting colds or have health problems. Especially over-60s who are on pension credit can directly qualify and can get the fastest approvals.
Yes, obviously, you can get approval if you are not on benefits but you meet the eligibility criteria through another route. This eligibility requires an EPC rating of E or below, low-income, and vulnerability to cold weather, which includes health conditions, or having children in the house.
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