Grants and Funding
Funding for off-gas home improvements
In 2023, funding will be available for homes that don’t use mains gas for their heating in Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire homes to improve their homes with insulation, heat pumps and other efficiency improvements.
Funding is first-come, first-served so please register your interest.
What home improvements are available?
The Home Upgrade Grant scheme is funded by the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and are designed to help off-gas householders in Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire make improvements to their homes that will make them more energy efficient. This means that these improvements will reduce your energy bills, lower your carbon footprint and make your home easier to heat and power.
There are a range of improvements available (depending on your circumstances), but most eligible homes will begin by benefitting from:
- Insulation – the most effective way to reduce your bills and make your home affordable to heat
- Air source heat pumps – a low carbon central heating system that uses outside air to heat your home
Eligibility
Funding is offered based on a range of criteria. You may be eligible if the following apply to your household:
- Your gross household income is under £36,000 per annum;
AND - The property has an EPC rating of D, E, F or G
AND - Your property does not use mains gas for its heating
If you think you could benefit from the scheme or would like to find out if you’re eligible for support, call us on 0800 500 3076. Alternatively, complete the application form here, and a member of our team will get in touch.
Eligibility and suitability
Funding can only be approved once we have confirmed that:
- you meet the eligibility criteria based on your personal circumstances
- your property is suitable for the proposed measures
- the cost of works falls within the funding limits
- there is still funding available
Boiler and heating grants
Fully funded first time central heating
Funded by Affordable Warmth Solutions, the Warm Homes Fund will provide first time central heating to 310 households across Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire. A range of privately rented and low-income owner-occupied homes will benefit from the installation of air or ground source heat pumps.
To qualify for the scheme, your home must not have central heating currently installed. A central heating system is one that provides heat to multiple rooms, via a heat distribution system (such as radiators).
You will still be eligible (subject to other criteria) if your home is heated by one of the following heating systems:
- Electric room heaters
- Electric storage heaters
- Electric warm air system
- Solid fuel room heaters
- Solid fuel heating system (for example, a backboiler and radiators).
In addition to having no central heating in your property, you must also meet criteria related to your health, income, benefit status or experience of fuel poverty. You won’t be expected to meet standards in all of these criteria; eligibility depends on personal circumstances. This can be a complex issue, so the easiest option is to get in touch with us directly if you have no central heating and think you could benefit from the scheme.
If you don’t qualify for the above schemes but need help and support, you can still get in touch. There may be other funding available, depending on your circumstances.
Eligibility and suitability
Funding can only be approved once we have confirmed that:
- you meet the eligibility criteria based on your personal circumstances
- your property is suitable for the proposed measures
- the cost of works falls within the funding limits
- there is still funding available
Energy Company Obligation funding
If you are in receipt of certain income related benefits you may be eligible for a grant through the Energy Company Obligation. Funding availability varies for this scheme. Speak to an advisor to see if you are eligible and they will explain the next steps. Through our installer network, a number of our installers have access to full or partial funding to replace old or broken down oil or LPG boilers for those who are in receipt of certain income related benefits.
Other options
There are various smaller grant schemes available, and our advisors can direct you to those if you may be eligible.
Insulation grants
Energy Company Obligation funding
Cavity wall insulation funded through the ECO scheme is offered to households based on their personal circumstances. This includes household income, whether a resident is in receipt of benefits and the location of the property among other things. Our advisors will always be able to check your eligibility against many funding options. If you are eligible for cavity wall insulation funding there may also be funding available for loft insulation.
Funding for those with cold or damp related health issues
If you live in Gloucestershire and have cold or damp related health issues you may be eligible for a partial or full grant for cavity wall or loft insulation or a partial grant for various insulation measures including solid wall insulation, roof insulation and floor insulation.
Funding for families with children
If you live in South Gloucestershire and have a child under the age of 16 living with you, you may be eligible for a partial or full grant for cavity wall/loft insulation or a partial grant for various insulation measures including solid wall insulation, roof insulation and floor insulation.
Renewable Energy Incentives
Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)
Funded by the UK Government, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) replaces the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)[1] and aims to encourage property owners to switch to low carbon heating systems. The grants are designed to help property owners overcome the upfront costs of low carbon heating technologies.
The scheme covers a range of heating options, each with different grant incentives:
- £5,000 off an air source heat pump
- £5,000 off a biomass boiler
- £6,000 off a ground source heat pump
The grants can be used towards both the cost and installation of these low carbon heating options and are limited to one grant per property.
What are the eligibility criteria?
To be eligible for the scheme you must:
- Live in England or Wales
- Own your property (either a domestic or small non-domestic property)
- Your property must have an installation capacity of up to 45kWth (this covers most homes and small non-domestic properties)
- Your property must have a current energy performance certificate (EPC) with no outstanding recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation
The scheme is open to private landlords and second home owners.
There are some property types that are excluded from eligibility. For more information, visit the UK Government website at gov.uk/environment/climate-change-energy-energy-efficiency.
How to apply
Your installer will apply for the grant on your behalf, with the value of the grant discounted off the price you pay them. We would recommend that you get quotes form more than one installer to make sure you’re getting good value for money. Any installer you use must be MCS registered. You can find more information about this at mcscertified.com/find-an-installer.
[1] The Renewable Heat Incentive was a UK Government scheme designed to support homeowners and businesses to choose renewable energy options. In contrast to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, the RHI also included funds for solar thermal and payments were calculated depending on the amount of renewable heat produced by the system.
Other funding and finance
See our Other Funding and Finance section.
Other Funding and Finance
Funding for those with cold related health conditions
If you live in Gloucestershire and have cold or damp related health issues you may be eligible for a partial grant for various energy efficiency measures. Speak to one of our advisors to find out if you qualify.
Funding for families with children
If you live in South Gloucestershire and have a child under the age of 16 living with you, you may be eligible for a partial grant for various energy efficiency measures. Speak to one of our advisors to find out if you qualify.
Eligibility and suitability
Funding can only be approved once we have confirmed that:
- you meet the eligibility criteria based on your personal circumstances
- your property is suitable for the proposed measures
- the cost of works falls within the funding limits
- there is still funding available
More Advice
Installers
Our Link to Energy network is a free-to-use online directory to find sustainable energy installers and tradespeople in Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire
Advice Resources
Read and download our resources to find easy ways you can start saving energy straight away!
Home visits
Sometimes, we can give you the best support by arranging an energy advisor to visit your property and make recommendations that best fit your life.