With winter fast approaching it’s worth remembering that Government cash is still available under the Warm Front Scheme which was established to help fuel poor households benefit from heating and insulation home improvements.
For low income and fuel poor families the thought of another harsh cold winter will be a decidedly unpleasant one but with grant schemes like the Government’s Warm Front help is at hand for thousands of households who will struggle to keep warm this winter and meet the costs of spiralling central heating bills.
Grants of up to £3,500 (£6,000 if your home is not connected to mains gas) are available to homeowners and tenants who rent a private property. To be eligible strict criteria applies; homes have to be poor insulated and/or the property must not have a working central heating system. Recipients must also be claiming certain benefits such as pension credit or an income-related Employment and Support Allowance.
Warm Front will arrange and pay for any heating and home insulation improvement work up to the value of the grant, including:
- Cavity wall insulation
- Loft insulation
- Draught proofing
- Installing a new central heating system or repair of an existing one
The Department of Energy and Climate Change has just announced changes to the Standard Assessment Procedure which come into effect from Monday. Relating to the energy efficiency of a property it means more homes will be able to benefit from the grants. Current properties need to have a SAP rating of 55 or below – which is equivalent to an EPC Band D – but that is to be changed to 63.
“Changes to the rules on who can get help under Warm Front will mean even more people will be able to keep warm this winter. Warm Front is still very much open for business and it’s easy to apply,” commented Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker.
The Warm Front Scheme is funded by the Government and managed by Carillion Energy Services. It is only open to residents in England and if your application has been successful a Warm Front surveyor will visit your home to talk through available options to make your property more energy efficient.
For more information about the Warm Front Scheme you can apply for a grant online or by telephoning 0800 316 2805. Lines are open Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm and Saturday from 9am to 5pm.
