West Northamptonshire Council - Eligible households urged to access funding to save money to heat their homes

Posted 9 months ago in West Northamptonshire Council

Residents who have an annual household income of under £31,000 or less and are not connected to mains gas networks could be eligible for government funding to help to make their homes more energy efficient and save money on heating their homes, reducing fuel poverty. From Tuesday 2 April the criteria will change to less than £36,000 combined gross annual income.

The second phase of the Homes Upgrade Grant, delivered by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC), provides Government funding to help those who are eligible to have affordable and energy-efficient heating solutions. 

WNC is partnered with Agility Eco to be able to offer this scheme to the people of West Northamptonshire this opportunity by arranging and carrying out the improvement assessment and all the retrofit work. 

Local installers in each region will guide customers through the application journey, helping them understand and establish eligibility for the scheme. If eligible, the installer will identify which improvements for the home will provide the greatest benefits and arrange any necessary surveys and installations.

Cllr Jonathan Nunn, Leader of West Northamptonshire Council, said: “This vital funding enables low-income households to carry out improvement to make their homes more efficient, helping them save money and reduce fuel poverty.

“With fuel costs remaining high, the second phase of this scheme is an important chance for local residents to improve their homes, save money on their energy bills and reduce their carbon emissions.”

To be eligible for the scheme, homeowners must meet the following criteria: 

• Applicants for the scheme must not use a mains gas connection for heating
• Applicants must have a Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) score of D or below, which can be found in an up-to-date Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). Residents will be supported with this part of the eligibility process during application. Residents will be provided with a free EPC where they do not already have one.
• Applicants must have a total household annual income of £31,000 or below or live in an eligible low-income postcode area. The list of eligible postcode areas has been selected by the Government and you can check your postcode via this link. From Tuesday 2 April the criteria will change to less than £36,000 combined gross annual income.
• For rented homes, tenants must have permission from their landlord, who is required to provide a financial contribution of at least one-third towards the work.
• If you are in a rented property, the financial eligibility criteria relate to you, not your landlord.
• Funding is only available if your landlord has a portfolio of four properties or fewer and the funding cannot be used to meet their existing legal minimum energy efficiency requirements.

How to Check Eligibility: 

You can check if your property has an EPC and learn about your SAP score by at Find an energy certificate - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).