Making energy-efficiency home improvements can be a big investment and it may be hard to know where to start.
Herefordshire Council is working with climate-action charity Severn Wye Energy Agency to provide local residents with practical help with their energy costs through the Home Upgrade Grant scheme – reducing their carbon footprint in the process.
Through the scheme Angela received free energy advice and home improvements worth over £10,000 and would encourage anyone with a cold home and high energy bills to apply.
This government-funded grant provides access to energy-saving home improvements for low-income households who:
- Live in Herefordshire.
- Have no mains gas heating in their home.
- Live in an inefficient home, with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of D, E, F or G.
- Have a total household income of under £36,000 per year or are in receipt of means-tested benefits.
**Applications for the scheme close October 2024.
Since January 2021, Severn Wye has supported 186 households to access the grant and seen over 400 energy efficiency home improvements installed as a result.
Angela put up with her cold home for a decade before a friend suggested she contact Severn Wye’s team to see if they could help with her energy costs. She was delighted to find she was eligible for a Home Upgrade Grant that covered solar PV panels and an air source heat pump.
One of Severn Wye’s home energy experts carried out the EPC survey, then a thorough evaluation was completed to advise which energy upgrade measures would work best for Angela’s home.
‘I wanted the measures to help with bills and maybe have warmth all through the winter,’ explains Angela. ‘I’ve had leaflets through the door that quoted about £10,000 for these measures — and on a state pension, no way!
‘I’m very grateful to have received the grant and I hope other people will take advantage.’
The energy efficiency improvements are providing Angela with more than enough hot water and her new solar panels are generating plenty of electricity.
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To check your eligibility for the Home Upgrade Grant, visit www.severnwye.org.uk/upgradeyh to complete the online form.
