Warm Homes: Local Grant
The Warm Homes: Local Grant (WHLG) is a government scheme available to qualifying households in the St Albans District. St Albans City and District Council is working with the National Energy Foundation to deliver the government’s Warm Homes Local Grant scheme in the district.
Eligible households can receive fully funded energy efficiency improvements worth up to £30,000 per home. Energy efficiency measures may include wall, loft and underfloor insulation, heating controls, draught-proofing, double or triple glazing, solar photovoltaic panels, and heat pumps.
Eligibility
Both privately owned and privately rented households are eligible. Homes must meet the following criteria:
- EPC: An EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) rating of D, E, F, or G. If you do not know your home’s EPC, you can find it out when you apply.
AND one of the following:
- Eligible postcodes: Located in certain postcodes set out by the government. Currently no postcodes in the St Albans District are classified for automatic eligibility, hence households will need to meet one of the other eligibility criteria.
- Means-tested benefits: A member of the household receives a Housing Benefit, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Income Support, Pension Credit (savings and guarantee), or Universal Credit. Alternatively, if a member of your household is vulnerable to cold, you have children who receive free school meals, or you are eligible for a council tax reduction, you may qualify. For more information, please use the government’s eligibility checker link below.
- Household income: The household’s annual income is below £36,000 per year (inclusive of tax). The income of every adult member of the household counts towards the income threshold, except for those in full-time education.
You can quickly and easily find out if you’re eligible by using the government's eligibility checker below or by calling the National Energy Foundation’s Better Housing Better Health helpline on 0800 107 0044 (free to call, weekdays 9am-5pm).
WHLG eligibility checker and application form
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an EPC rating? Toggle accordion
EPC refers to an Energy Performance Certificate, which measures the energy efficiency of a property on a scale of A-G (with ‘A’ having the highest energy efficiency, and G having the worst energy efficiency).
I do not know what my EPC rating is, how can I check? Toggle accordion
If you do not know the EPC rating of your property, you can check online using your postcode using the below button.
If your property cannot be found on the website, it is likely your property does not have an EPC rating. This is common where a property has not been sold or let in recent years. If you do not know your home’s EPC, you can find it out when you apply.
My home does not have an EPC rating. Can I take part? Toggle accordion
If your home has not been let or sold recently, it may not have an EPC rating. The EPC rating for a property can also be out of date if changes have been made to the property since it was last assessed.
If you are likely to qualify for the scheme, an energy performance assessment will be conducted as part of the process.
I am a private landlord or a privately renting tenant, can I benefit from the Warm Homes Local Grant funding? Toggle accordion
If the privately rented property has an EPC D-G rating, and the tenant meets the eligibility criteria, the grant will fully fund upgrades for one property per private landlord. Any subsequent properties owned by the same landlord will require a 50% landlord cost contribution towards the total cost of works. Landlords are also required to abide by Subsidy Control laws.
I live in social housing. Can I benefit from the Warm Homes Local Grant funding? Toggle accordion
Warm Homes: Local Grant is for privately owned homes only. If you live in social housing, there are different funding opportunities available to you as part of the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund. You can contact your social housing landlord for more information.
I live in a park home. Can I benefit from the Warm Homes Local Grant funding? Toggle accordion
You can access Warm Homes Local Grant funding if you live in a park home or caravan permanently, provided you meet the other eligibility criteria.
Will I be asked to contribute towards the cost of the home energy efficiency improvements? Toggle accordion
Owner occupiers and privately renting tenants are not required to make any contributions to the cost of upgrades under this scheme.
Where a private landlord wishes to access the grant funding for more than one of their rented properties, they will be expected to contribute at least 50% towards the cost of the upgrades after the first fully-funded property.
Will I have to pay back the grant? Toggle accordion
You don't have to pay back the grant. The funding is provided by the Government to deliver progress towards the statutory fuel poverty target for England and deliver progress towards the UK’s 2050 Net Zero target.
Who will complete the works at my home and how will you ensure installations are completed to high standards? Toggle accordion
We are working with the National Energy Foundation (NEF) to deliver the Warm Homes scheme in St Albans District. The National Energy Foundation have a network of suppliers that they will utilise to deliver installations at each home.
Under the Government grant, all upgrades must meet certain standards. Installers must be TrustMark registered, and low carbon heating or solar technologies installers must also be certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS).
All projects must also be compliant with current guidance for retrofit – the PAS 2035: 2023. St Albans Council and NEF will also be auditing a certain number of installations.