PEOPLE are being encouraged to use a digital advice tool to see how they might benefit from new support for energy efficient home improvements.
Leicester City Council has been awarded over £4.5 million of Warm Homes Local Grant funding from the Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
The scheme will offer grants to low-income households to pay for better insulation and other improvements, such as solar panels and low carbon heating, to cut bills for families, slash fuel poverty, and help reduce carbon emissions.
To be eligible, homes must be privately owned (owner occupied or privately rented); have an energy performance certificate (EPC) between D and G; and have a household income of less than £36,000.
Applications for the new grants are expected to begin in later-summer, with full details of the amount of support available to households due to be published soon.
In the meantime, residents can explore how their homes might benefit by using the new Homewise digital advice tool, developed by Energy Saving Trust.
This free online service helps homeowners identify energy efficiency improvements they could make to their homes. By completing a simple online survey, people can get a personalised action plan tailored to their needs and budget. They’ll also get a breakdown of the cost for any improvements and potential savings.
Cllr Geoff Whittle, assistant city mayor for environment and transport, said: “We know that installing energy efficient home improvements can be expensive so the announcement of this Government funding for new grants is very welcome.
"We are already making free tailored energy advice available to city residents through Homewise. This free online advice is easy to get and will help people see how they can make their home more energy efficient, save money and reduce their carbon footprint.
“By understanding your home's energy needs now, you'll be in a better position to take advantage of the grants when applications open later this year.”
Laura Atkinson, business development manager at Energy Saving Trust said: “Leicester City Council is leading the way in empowering its residents to identify home energy improvements that will benefit them.
“We know the value of personalised advice in helping people to make informed choices on how to make their home cheaper to heat and lower carbon emissions - our expert tool Homewise was created with this aim.”
To find out more about Homewise, and to register for free tailored energy advice for your home, visit leicestercitycouncil.homewise.energy
The Warm Homes: Local Grant scheme is part of the Government’s national Warm Homes Plan which aims to upgrade five million homes over the next five years to cut bills for families and deliver warmer homes to slash fuel poverty.
Leicester is one of 73 local authorities, combined authorities and consortium areas to receive a share of over £463,000,000 of Government cash set aside for the scheme.