Grants & Schemes
The ECO 4 scheme (the government’s Energy Company Obligation) is the fourth, and likely final, entry to the scheme to help qualifying households receive funding
October 3, 2023 No Comments
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When it comes to insulation grants in Scotland, the most well-known and commonly used scheme is the Warmer Homes Scotland programme. This provides funding and financial assistance to homes that are struggling to keep their homes warm and stay ahead of their energy bills.
The scheme aims to help make properties become more economical to heat and improve the comfort in the home by covering the cost of installing a range of different energy efficient measures, including insulation. The Scottish government offers grants to homeowners and private tenants who meet the eligibility criteria and have lived in their homes for at least 12 months.
The improvements that will be available to you through Warmer Homes Scotland will be based on a survey of your property. Assessors will visit your home to carry out the survey and then recommend suitable improvements to boost the energy efficiency of the building, which might include a range of heating and insulation.
In the majority of cases, all costs for installation will be covered by the Scottish government if you are an eligible individual. Keep in mind that grants are not available for work that has already been completed in your home. Any home improvements that are going to be funded by the scheme need to be managed by an approved installer.
Some customer contributions might be required in specific cases, for example where more expensive solid wall insulation is recommended. Interest free loans are an option to help customers meet the cost of this contribution. The loan is managed by the Energy Saving Trust and will require applicants to have a credit check, also and incur an administration fee if the loan application is successful. Additional information regarding the loan will be provided if your offer involves a customer contribution.
Potential energy efficiency improvements you could benefit from include:
If you are a private tenant, your landlord may be aware of the improvements that the property in which you reside that they own could receive through the scheme, and which ones they might need to fund themselves. In any case, the landlord’s permission is needed before any improvements, such as loft insulation, can be installed at the property.
Restrictions have been in place since 1st August 2017, to the improvements that are available under Warmer Homes Scotland to those living in privately rented homes. Private Rented Sector houses that are covered by the statutory Repairing Standard will no longer be able to receive improvements that are the legal responsibility of the landlord. In these cases, tenants are still eligible for other improvements through the scheme if they are recommended for the home by the assessor during the survey
To qualify for funding for free loft insulation, or other similar home improvements through this scheme, your household needs to meet all of the criteria below:
You should meet at least one of the conditions below:
The passport benefits you could be claiming are:
Private homeowners or tenants that are claiming an eligible benefit are likely to qualify for a cavity wall insulation grant in Scotland through the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme. This is as long as you are living in the property and are not currently carrying out any renovation work. Buildings manufactured between 1924 and 1982 are often suitable for cavity wall insulation. However, homes that were constructed up to 2005 that don’t have any insulation can also access financial assistance.
As more and more households across the UK struggle to keep up with their energy bills, cavity wall insulation is one of the best ways you can lower your bills. Evidence has demonstrated that homes without insulated cavity walls can result in up to 35% of the heat in the property escaping, and homes that do have cavity wall insulation installed could save up to £690 a year (Source: Energy Saving Trust – based on a gas-heated detached property and fuel price as of October 2022.)
You should be entitled to a loft insulation grant in Scotland if you meet all of the terms of the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme. Additionally, in your home’s loft, there should already be 100mm (4 inches) or less of insulation installed. In many cases, this will be level with or just below the joists. If it is more than this level, you could get a survey and quote to top your loft insulation up to 270mm.
According to the Energy Saving Trust, a detached property with a totally uninsulated loft that receives 270mm of loft insulation could enjoy annual energy bills savings of up to £590 (based on fuel prices as of October 2022).
Annual savings in other types of properties, as a result of adding loft insulation, could amount to the following:
The ECO+ scheme aims to help Scottish households make their homes more energy efficient and bring down their bills through insulation measures. This will help not only those on the lowest incomes but also those living in the least energy efficient homes in lower council tax band across Scotland.
ECO+ is an obligation for the larger energy suppliers and will start in April 2023 and run until March 2024. Grants for insulation will be available to low income and vulnerable households in Scotland, including those with an EPC rating of D or below and those in low council tax bands A-E.
The ECO+ scheme is complementary to the current Energy Company Obligation (ECO) Scheme, currently in its fourth iteration, ECO4. The ECO+ scheme will offer insulation grants to those who haven’t previously had any Government funding towards the cost of improving the efficiency of their home.
For homes across Scotland, new technology is becoming more focused on lowering our impact on the environment and climate change. Whether you are conscious of how much energy and heat your home is wasting and you want to make a change, or your energy bills are skyrocketing, home energy efficiency programmes like this are available to help.
Everyone wants a home that is comfortable to live in all year round. Keeping warm not only helps us feel comfier and cosier, but it is also important for our health. However, the financial implications of certain energy efficiency measures, such as loft insulation, could be a barrier for low-income households which is why free funding from the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme and other grants for insulation are so important. You can also get additional advice about energy saving measures from Home Energy Scotland.
Contact us today to check your eligibility for free insulation grants in Scotland.
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The ECO 4 scheme (the government’s Energy Company Obligation) is the fourth, and likely final, entry to the scheme to help qualifying households receive funding
Are you fed up with being overlooked when it comes to funding home energy efficiency measures through grants? The good news is that the ECO+
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