Grants and discounts may be available to help you improve the energy efficiency of your home. Some of these are funded by the Government and others by the energy companies.
Hertfordshire and Essex Energy Partnership (HEEP)
The Herts Essex Energy Partnership (HEEP) Home Energy Scheme was set up by the 15 local authorities in Hertfordshire and Essex in 2009, in order to help alleviate fuel poverty and reduce fuel bills.
CAVITY WALL AND LOFT INSULATION IS AVAILABLE FREE FOR A LIMITED PERIOD OF TIME ONLY.
This offer applies to all homeowners and private tenants regardless of age or income.
Additional funding is also available for boiler replacements. Applicants need to be on qualifying benefits and have a boiler aged 15 years or more.
Enquiries and applications for the grants can be made via the freephone number 0800 980 6026 and website www.heepgrant.org.
Warm Front
The Warm Front scheme provides heating and insulation improvements to households on certain income-related benefits living in properties that are poorly insulated and/or do not have a working central heating system. Qualifying households can get improvements worth up to £3,500 (£6,000 where oil central heating and other alternative technologies are recommended).
Grants are available for improvements such as:
Loft insulation
Draughtproofing
Cavity wall insulation
Hot water tank insulation
Gas, electric, liquid petroleum gas or oil heating
Glass-fronted fire (the Warm Front scheme can convert your solid-fuel open fire to a glass-fronted fire)
The scheme is now targeted at people on certain income-related benefits and living in properties that are poorly insulated and/or do not have a working central heating system. You must own your home or rent it from a private landlord.
For more information please visit the DirectGov Website or call 0800 316 2805 (or textphone 0800 072 0156). Lines are open Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 6.00 pm and Saturday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm.
Home Repairs Assistance Grant
This grant is provided by the Council. It is targeted at elderly people (over 70) and it enables small scale work to be carried out so that the person can remain happily in their own home.
Eligible works include repairs to services and the building to prevent risk to health and safety of the residents and measures to conserve energy where the applicant is not eligible under other grants or schemes. Examples of such work are rewiring, plumbing repairs, replacement of rotten wood, roof repairs, heating improvements and energy efficiency improvements. For more details follow this link Housing improvement and repairs
Landlord's Energy Savings Allowance
The Landlord's Energy Savings Allowance provides all private landlords who pay income tax with upfront relief on capital expenditure for the installation of loft, cavity or solid wall insulation in rented accommodation.
This allowance enables landlords to deduct the cost of new insulation (up to £1500 per property) when calculating their taxable profits from letting residential property. For more information contact your local Inland Revenue tax office or visit www.hmrc.gov.uk.
Grants for Renewable Technologies
For details of grants offered towards the installation of renewable technologies, please see the Renewable Energy Page.
Advice and Assistance
The Energy Saving Trust provide free, impartial and expert advice on making your home more energy efficient. They also provide specialist advice on other aspects of sustainablility such as renewables, water efficiency, waste minimisation and travel planning.
Contact the Energy Saving Trust by calling 0800 512012 or visiting the website at http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/.
Date of last review: 22 December 2011