Grants and Funding for energy efficiency and renewables

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Improving the fabric of your property can greatly improve your home’s energy efficiency and warmth and help to lower your carbon footprint and energy bills. Taking these actions is often referred to as retrofitting.

There are various improvements you can make to your home. However, many of these can be very expensive. There are various funding streams you could potentially access to support you in retrofitting your property.

Before seeking out funding, you should speak to one of our Energy Advisors. They can identify which combination of measures may be beneficial to install into your property.

This guide summarises some of the current grants and funding you can explore. Different funding may offer different measures, we would advise first speaking to our energy advisors and Home Energy Scotland before applying for support.

 

Warmer Homes Scotland

Warmer Homes Scotland is the Scottish Government’s flagship energy efficiency programme. Funding can support eligible homeowners and private tenants to install measures into their homes. The scheme is managed by Home Energy Scotland and Warmworks.

Measures that can be included in the Warmer Home Scotland scheme include:

  • Wall insulation
  • Loft insulation
  • Draught-proofing
  • Central heating (including new gas boilers or air source heat pumps)
  • Renewables

Measures offered are dependent upon a survey by Warmworks.

Eligibility criteria includes:

  • Be a homeowner or the tenant of a private-sector landlord.
  • Live in the home as your main residence.
  • Have lived there for at least six months (unless in receipt of an SR1, a DS1500 or a BASRiS form).
  • Live in a home with a poor energy rating. Warmworks will assess this.
  • Live in a home with a floor area of 230 square metres or less (typically up to five bedrooms).
  • Live in a home that meets the tolerable living standard set out in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 or, where the home does not meet the tolerable living standard, this will not impact the effectiveness of the recommended improvements for installation under the programme.
  • Live in a home where the council tax band is A-F.
  • Eligible households must include either a person who is over 75 with no central heating, a person who has a DS1500 or BASRiS certificate completed by a medical professional or a person who receives at least one of the passport benefits (see below) at any level or rate at which the benefit is paid.

Full details on the Warmer Home Scotland scheme can be found here.

To find out more about this funding and apply you must contact Home Energy Scotland. Please note due to the current popularity of this scheme there may be a delay in measures being installed from the initial assessment period.

 

Area Based Scheme

The Area Based Scheme is a Scottish Government funded initiative to support local councils to deliver energy efficiency programmes in areas with a high level of fuel poverty.

Measures that can be delivered as part of an area based scheme include:

  • Solid wall insulation
  • Cavity wall insulation
  • Loft insulation
  • Room-in-roof insulation
  • Renewable energy systems

Area-based schemes are designed by local councils and each one may operate differently. You will most likely hear directly if a scheme is operating in your area but you can also contact Home Energy Scotland for more information. Recent schemes in Fife have targeted areas of Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes and South West Fife and have installed measures such as external wall insulation.

 

Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan

The Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme can provide homeowners with support to improve their properties. Funding and loan values vary by measure, but are likely to consist of part grant and part interest-free loan. You will be responsible for choosing an installer. Work cannot be carried out in advance of an application being made.

Various measures can be included for example:

  • Clean heating systems such as heat pumps, storage heaters or biomass
  • Solar thermal
  • Wall insulation
  • Loft or roof insulation
  • Glazing or doors
  • Heating controls
  • Draught proofing

Contact Home Energy Scotland to discuss and apply for the Grant and Loan scheme.

For full details on the measures available and the grant and loan amount available please visit Home Energy Scotland.

You can find the Terms & Conditions of the scheme.

 

ECO4 Flex Scheme

ECO4 is a UK-wide scheme obligating energy companies to provide funding for energy efficiency improvements. the ECO4 Flex Scheme is an alternative eligibility route for local authorities such as Fife Council to define specific eligibility criteria and processes.

The scheme is set up to reduce fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency in homes occupied by low-income and vulnerable households.

Fife Council have appointed Scarf as their managing agent for ECO4 Flex.

ECO4 is a ‘whole-house Retrofit’ programme that takes a ‘fabric first’ approach (insulation first before heating systems and renewables). As such many households may receive a combination of measures.

These measures can include a mix of:

  • Wall insulation
  • Loft insulation
  • Room-in-roof insulation
  • Underfloor insulation
  • Air source heat pumps
  • Storage heaters
  • Solar PV systems
  • Smart heating controls

There are several routes by which to qualify for ECO4. It is best to speak to Home Energy Scotland or Scarf to assess for eligibility.

Eligibility is varied and can be decided by several combinations of factors that include:

  • Household income
  • EPC rating
  • The area in which you live
  • Vulnerabilities in the home
  • Single-person council tax reduction
  • Free school meals eligibility
  • A home visit from Cosy Kingdom

To find out if you’re eligible for ECO4 you can contact:

  • Home Energy Scotland – 0808 808 2282
  • SCARF – 01224 213005

ECO4 Flex operates through a list of approved contactors. This can be viewed on Fife Council’s website along with further details and their Statement of Intent for ECO4 Flex.

 

Great British Insulation Scheme

The Great British Insulation Scheme is a fabric-only fund to support homeowners, landlords and tenants to improve the insulation in their homes. The Scheme is delivered by the UK Government.

Measures provided through the scheme include:

  • Cavity wall insulation
  • Benefits you receive
  • Loft insulation

To be eligible for funding you must meet the following criteria:

  • An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rated D-G
  • Council tax band A-E
  • Permission from your landlord (if you rent the property)

Further eligibility may be required including:

  • Household income
  • Benefits you receive

You can apply for the Great British Insulations scheme on the UK Government website.

 

Green Mortgages

A green mortgage is a form of mortgage which can support homeowners to move in, or improve their property. Lenders will reward mortgage holders with better interest rates or cashback.

A green mortgage may not be the cheapest form of home loan. You should always consult with professionals (for example, your bank or a mortgage adviser) before taking out products such as these.

Through a green mortgage, your lender may reward you for retrofitting the property, for example by installing:

  • Renewable energy systems
  • Solar PV arrays
  • Insulation

For more information on green mortgages you can take a look at the comprehensive guide on Money Saving Expert or speak to a professional with knowledge of these products.

 

Deciding which fund to use

If you’re eligible for multiple funds or you are not sure which to access, we always recommend speaking to one of our energy advisors. We can provide free and impartial advice and refer you to Home Energy Scotland for further guidance or support in applying for the most suitable funding scheme.

Some funds may only cover certain measures, for example, loft insulation, which when installed increases your energy efficiency rating, which could then disqualify you for further funding for measures such as heat pumps for example. For this reason, we strongly recommend you get advice before making an application.

 

Get Advice

Would you like more information on which measures may suit your home or which funding could help you make these improvements? Contact our Energy Advisors for free and impartial advice.

Our energy advisors can be contacted by: