Energy Efficiency

We want to make homes in our borough more energy efficient, as well as protect the environment and cut fuel bills.

Here is some information and signposting to organisations that can help with heating costs, energy efficiency improvements, energy saving, renewable energy, heat loss and financial help.

Help with heating costs

  • GOV.UK: Warm Home Discount scheme - the Warm Home Discount Scheme is a one-off £150 discount off your electricity bill. If you’re eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill by 31 March 2024. The money is not paid to you.
     
  • GOV.UK: Winter fuel payment - if you were born before 25 September 1957 you could get between £250 and £600 to help you pay your heating bills. This is known as a ‘Winter Fuel Payment’.
     
  • GOV.UK: Cold weather payment - eligible households will get a payment if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees celsius or below over seven consecutive days.
     
  • GOV.UK: Energy company obligation - if you are on a low income  then you may be eligible to get help from your energy supplier with all or part of the costs of insulation work.

Warm Home Discount Scheme

If you have a disability, a long-term illness, are on a low income and have a child under 5, or if you receive Child Tax Credit, you may be able to save £140 on your winter electricity bill.

Find out more about warm home discount scheme.

Boilers – Council Warm at Home Grant

If your boiler is broken, subject to meeting the eligibility requirements, we can offer grants to repair or replace it with a modern condensing boiler. These are more efficient than traditional boilers (some reach efficiencies of 95 per cent compared with approximately 75 per cent of traditional boilers) as they are able to capture the waste heat from the flue gases. These grants are means tested.

Home energy information and advice

You can get home energy information and advice from a range of organisations. 

Your energy supplier can also provide information on how to reduce your energy bills and improve the energy performance of your property

Priority Services Register

You may qualify for extra help with your energy supply if you are disabled, vulnerable, a pensioner, chronically sick, or have a hearing or visual impairment.

You will need to sign up to the Priority Services Register by contacting your energy supplier(s). This means you should get help such as priority treatment in a power cut, yearly gas safety checks, notice in advance if there's a supply disruption and more.

For more information on joining the Priority Services Register, or finding out what to do if you're struggling with the cost of your energy bills, visit Ofgem website.

Renewable Heat Incentive

You can earn an income for heating your home with 'green' heating systems through the Renewable Heat Incentive.

This can cover:

  • Air-source heat pumps
  • Ground and water-source heat pumps
  • Biomass-only boilers and biomass pellet stoves with integrated boilers
  • Solar thermal panels (for hot water only)

Find out about the Renewable Heat Incentive by visiting the Ofgem website.