Energy efficiency grants

Warm Front is the government's main grant-funded programme for tackling fuel poverty in England and was launched in June 2000. Households which meet the eligibility criteria can get a grant to pay for:

• loft insulation,

• draught-proofing,

• cavity wall insulation,

• fitting central heating,

• fitting gas room heaters with thermostat controls,

• hot water tank insulation,

• converting a solid fuel open fire to a glass front fire.

To qualify, you must be getting certain income-related benefits, live in a property that is poorly insulated and/or not have a working central heating system.

The Warm Front deal is set to be phased our by 2014, however before then anyone who has previously applied for a grant can now reapply for top-ups to carry out any repairs.

How to apply :

• apply online for Warm Front

• email enquiry@eaga.com

• call 0800 316 2805 (or textphone 0800 072 0156). Lines are open Monday - Friday 8.00am - 6.00pm and Saturday 9.00am - 5.00pm.

• download an application and send it to Eaga, Freepost NEA12054, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 1BR.
  

More information on Warm Front

The Energy Assistance Package is an energy efficiency grant scheme offered by The Scottish Executive, which replaced the Warm Deal scheme in 2010. 

The Energy Assistance Package is designed to help Scottish residents to heat their home. Eligibility depends on the work that is being carried out and four different levels of help are available:

1. A free home energy check, which is open to everyone. This is an assessment of your home's efficiency.

2. A tax benefit and tax credit check and access to cheaper energy tariffs. This is to ensure you aren't missing out on credits or benefits that could save you money - some people can end up as much as £1500 a year better off.

3. Loft insulation and cavity wall insulation, pipe insulation or a new boiler if you're a home-owner or a private-sector tenant and receive benefits or are aged 70 or over.

4. Energy efficiency measures such as central heating or a new boiler, and loft and cavity wall insulation, available if you're a homeowner or a private-sector tenant, have lived in the home for at least a year, and are either pregnant, have a child under 16, or are aged 60 or over.

How to apply :

• apply online for the Energy Assistance Package

• call 0800 512 012

More information on Energy Assistance Package

Nest is the Welsh Assembly Government's New Fuel Poverty Scheme that offers grants to low income households, who may be in fuel poverty. The scheme is working towards reducing fuel poverty by lowering energy bills and improving energy efficiency. It replaces the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES).

If you have applied for a grant under HEES but haven't had a decision yet, or if the work hasn't yet started, your application will be treated as if it had been made under Nest.

The Nest programme takes a 'whole house' approach to determining what energy improvement work would be most suitable, some examples include:

• loft and cavity wall insulation

• solid wall insulation

• draught proofing

• boiler replacement

To be eligible for a full package of Nest energy improvement work you must be receiving a means tested benefit, your property must have an energy efficiency rating of F or G and be privately owned or privately rented.

You may be entitled to help with insulation only if you are:

• aged over 60

• disabled or chronically ill

• pregnant

• in a household with a child or young person under 25.

How to apply:

• Apply for Nest online here

• call 0800 512 012 free from a landline, or 0300  456 2655 free from a mobile phone.

The Renewable Heat Premium Payment is a government scheme that gives people grants to help with the cost of installing technology that generate heat from renewable sources. The scheme opens on 1st August 2011, and £15m of grants are available, so around 25,000 households should benefit.

The Renewable Heat Premium Payment provides a grant for about 10% of the cost of buying and installing:

• ground source heat pumps,

• air source heat pumps,

• biomass boilers,

• solar water heating.

To qualify you must:

• live in England, Wales or Scotland;

• your home must not be heated by mains gas (unless you are applying for solar water heating);

• have already taken basic energy efficiency measures (this means you must have loft insulation to a depth of 250mm and cavity wall insulation, where these measures are practical).

Landlords can also apply for the grants to improve their rental properties.

How to apply:

• Apply online

• call 0800 512 012

Energy Saving Trust

The Energy Saving Trust is a not-for-profit company funded by the government and the private sector to promote energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.

It can provide advice and help you apply for a range of different energy efficiency grants, and also has a database of grants.

Find out more about grants with the Energy Saving Trust.

Landlord's Energy Saving Allowance

In addition to being eligible to apply for grants, landlords can also take advantage of the Landlord's Energy Saving Allowance (LESA).

This is not a grant scheme, but an allowance against the income tax of private landlords. It gives an allowance of £1500 per property for capital expenditure on loft and cavity wall insulation in rented accommodation.

Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT)