Free energy retrofits to help low income homes

The council hopes the venture will help to ensure the funding will "help those who need it most"

A council has offered free energy efficiency retrofits to low income homes in a bid "to help those who need it most".

Wiltshire Council has secured £1.7m from government funds to help up to 86 homes in the county access the Home Upgrade Grant.

The upgrades, aimed at owner-occupied and privately rented homes not connected to mains gas in energy performance bands D-G, will include wall and loft insulation, heat pumps and smart heating controls.

Councillor Dominic Muns said the scheme would not only save people money "in the long run", but would "also contribute towards the county’s climate goals".

Heat pumps warm buildings by absorbing heat from the air, ground, or water

"It supports our Business Plan priority of leading the way in how councils and counties mitigate the climate challenges ahead and if successful, will help us to attract more funding for more projects like this in the future," Mr Muns said.

To be eligible, households must be off-gas domestic properties and either:

• Owner-occupied by those on a low income (defined as having an annual gross household income of less than £36,000) who will not be required to contribute to the costs of upgrade

• Private landlords who own four or fewer rental properties and have low-income tenants. Landlords are required to make a minimum contribution of one third towards the total cost of works, in line with the scheme’s cost caps.

'More efficient'

The council teamed up with EDF on the project as part of the government’s Department of Energy Security and Net Zero’s Home Upgrade Grant Phase 2 scheme.

Mr Muns said working with the energy provider would help to ensure the funding would "help those who need it most".

“This project is a unique opportunity to help those on low incomes in off-gas domestic properties access energy efficiency measures free of charge which will likely save them money in the long run and also contribute towards the county’s climate goals," he added.

Dan Hopcroft from EDF said its work with the council would make homes in Wiltshire "more energy efficient and affordable to keep warm.”

"Through the scheme we’ll be helping people save cash and carbon," he said.