New scheme for free home improvements launches today – and it could save £400 a year on energy bills
HOUSEHOLDS could save £400 a year on bills thanks to a new scheme offering free home improvements.
The Great British Insulation Scheme, which launches today, is set to help more than 300,000 families with their energy bills.
Those in lower council tax bands with less energy-efficient homes will be offered essential upgrades to their property to help improve its efficiency.
These upgrades include roof, loft or cavity wall insulation - which could cut their annual energy bill by an average of between £300 to £400.
The following are eligible for the government scheme: council tax bands A-D in England and A-E in Scotland and Wales.
They also must have an energy performance certificate rating of D or below.
READ MORE IN MONEY
Customers will be able to use a new online checker for the Great British Insulation Scheme, to check their eligibility.
The tool asks several questions like how you heat your home, whether your home has solid or cavity walls, and if you're receiving any benefits.
The new scheme will run alongside the existing Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme.
The ECO support includes free home energy efficiency improvements, such as insulation, heat pumps and solar panels to low-income families.
Most read in Money
The government has also launched a separate checker for the Home Upgrade Grant.
It's designed to help up to 25,000 off-the-gas-grid homes that have an EPC rating of D to G.
Customers using both the online tools, which can be found on the gov.uk website, will be referred to either their energy supplier, for help from the ECO programme and Great British Insultation Scheme, or their local council for the Home Upgrade Grant.
Each will then let you know your next step.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, energy security secretary Claire Coutinho said: "With the week we’ve just had, putting the heating on is probably the last thing on anyone’s mind.
"But as autumn approaches, I want to assure Sun readers that we understand the pressures that families are still facing."
She pointed out that energy costs have dropped over the past year and are now at their lowest since Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
“But I know people are still feeling the pinch," she added.
“We’ve already spent £40billion covering half a typical household’s energy bill.
“[The scheme] will help more than 300,000 families, including some of the most vulnerable in society, keep their homes warm this winter while saving on energy bills."
Below we outline what other help is available if you're struggling.
What other help is available?
Millions are also in line to receive cost of living payments worth up to £1,350 this year.
The first instalment of the £900 payment has been paid to millions on certain benefits, including Universal Credit and Pension Credit.
A further two payments are due in the autumn as well as spring 2024.
Plus, pensioners who are entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2023/24 will get an extra £150 or £300 paid on top of their normal payment later this year.
Energy suppliers also offer plenty of energy grants and schemes to help you out if you're struggling.
You can get a grant from your energy supplier if you're really struggling and need help paying off debts.
Scottish Power, for example, gives up to £750 per household to the most hard-up households.
Most hardship funds have no deadline and you can apply all year round.
And thousands of households are missing out on £5,000 free cash to help reduce energy bills.
The help is available under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme which allows people to switch to a heat pump.
The government has pumped a further £842million into the Household Support Fund (HSF) pot of cash which councils are giving out to local residents.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
The HSF is designed to help those on the lowest incomes with the rising cost of living.
Each council gets a different portion of funding depending on the size of the catchment area, population, and need.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
You can also join our new Sun Money to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.