A citywide scheme aimed at tackling fuel poverty with grants for energy efficient and low carbon heating has received a major cash boost.
Leicester City Council has successfully bid for a further £2.75million from the Government’s Green Homes Grant scheme to help people with the cost of making their homes warmer and their energy bills cheaper, while helping cut carbon emissions.
It follows the city council’s initial successful bid for £1million of Green Homes Grant funding announced last November. Since then, over 380 households in Leicester have made a bid for support through the local scheme.
Under the scheme, eligible households – with an annual income of lower than £30,000 – can apply for 100% of the costs of installing energy efficient insulation, renewables and low carbon heating in their homes, up to a maximum of £10,000.
Deputy city mayor Cllr Adam Clarke, who leads on transportation and environment, said: “This is a tremendous boost for our local efforts to encourage and support more people to cut the carbon and financial cost of heating their homes.
“Installing energy efficiency home improvements is a good way to reduce your household energy bills while doing your bit for the environment by reducing carbon emissions. We know these measures can be expensive and it’s really important that people can get help to meet the costs through schemes like the local Green Homes Grants.
“Our energy team has done a fantastic job in securing £3.75million of grant funding so far. That will go a long way to supporting residents and helping the city do its bit to tackle the climate emergency.”
The city council will continue to work with E.ON to deliver the scheme, but people do not need to be an existing E.ON customer to benefit from the scheme.
Eligible households – with an annual income of lower than £30,000 – can apply for 100% of the costs of installing energy efficient insulation, renewables and low carbon heating in their homes, up to a maximum of £10,000.
To be eligible, homes must currently have a low energy performance. This can be easily determined on application.
If eligible, a home survey will be offered to best determine what improvements are most suitable. Any work carried out will be undertaken by a Trustmark registered contractor.
Nigel Dewbery, Director of Residential Solutions at E.ON, said: “Improving the energy efficiency of homes across the UK is key to meeting the nation’s net-zero targets, and can dramatically improve people’s living conditions, by helping to increase their comfort and reduce their energy bills.
“We’re delighted to be bringing these benefits to households across Leicester City as we continue to work with Leicester City Council to install energy efficiency measures, such as insulation, solar panels or air source heat pumps, in the homes of eligible residents.”
A range of energy efficient household heating measures could be fully paid for through the scheme, including insulation, low carbon air source heat pumps, smart heating controls.
To find out more contact the Green Homes Grant team at E.ON on 0333 202 4820 (Monday to Friday 9am-5.30pm) or email GreenHomesGrant@EonEnergy.com with your contact number.
To find out more about a range of energy efficiency grants on offer for local homes and businesses through Leicester City Council, visit www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council/policies-plans-and-strategies/energy-efficiency
Supporting householders to install low carbon, energy efficient measures is just one of the actions resulting from the first Leicester Climate Emergency Strategy. The new strategy sets out an ambitious vision for how the city needs to change to move towards becoming carbon-neutral and adapting to the effects of global heating by 2030, or sooner.
An accompanying action plan – which will be updated on a yearly basis – sets out an initial programme of over 120 actions that will support the strategy and help achieve the ambitious carbon savings required.
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