Residents can apply for grants of up to £30,000 for energy efficiency improvements to privately-owned homes
Residents in St Albans District can apply for grants of up to £30,000 to make energy efficiency improvements to their homes.
St Albans City and District Council has £1.5 million available to help finance enhancements to privately-owned houses.
The money was obtained from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero’s Warm Homes Fund and is intended to help cut harmful carbon emissions.
It is expected that around 100 homes will benefit with an average grant of around £15,000.
Improvements may include insulation, double or triple glazing, solar panels and low carbon heating systems such as air source pumps.
The upgrades have the potential to save people money by reducing energy bills as well as providing greater warmth and protection against damp and mould.
The Council is delivering the scheme in partnership with the National Energy Foundation which is managing the grants process and arranging the improvement works.
To be eligible, applicants will need to have a home with an Energy Performance Certificate rating of Band D or below.
They will also need to have either a gross household income of no more than £36,000 a year or be in receipt of certain benefits.
The scheme is available to landlords for privately rented homes as well as owner-occupiers.
Some additional eligibility criteria may be introduced to help ensure the money is used as effectively as possible.
The Council has obtained a total of £13 million in grants from Government funds to help finance similar improvements to around 1,200 of its 4,800 social housing properties.
Councillor Simon Johns, Chair of the Council’s Housing and Inclusion Committee, said:
We have been very successful in winning bids for Government funding to decarbonise our social housing stock.
Now we can help private households carry out similar work by offering grants which will help pay for energy efficient features such as solar panels.
I urge residents to take a look at the eligibility criteria and apply for this financial help if they feel they qualify.
As a Council, we are committed to tackling the climate emergency, reducing the District’s emission to net zero, and improving the energy efficiency of homes is an important step in that direction.
Alison Vickers, National Energy Foundation’s Operations Director, said:
We’re really excited to be working with St Albans City and District Council and residents on this scheme.
By improving your home’s energy efficiency, not only will you save money on your energy bills but you will also feel more comfortable in your home. Please call us to check your eligibility today.
You can check if you are eligible, find out more about the scheme and register an interest in applying here: https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/warm-homes-local-grant
Contact for the media: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer: 01727 819533, john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.