Energy efficiency, advice and grants
Saving Energy in Your Home
Improving the energy efficiency of your home can help:
- the internal comfort of your home by making it warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
- reduce your annual energy bills.
- reduce your carbon footprint if you are using fossil fuels to heat your home
There are many actions you can take to improve the energy efficiency of your home. We have produced a download of free and low-cost measures to conserve energy.
Low Cost Ways To Save Energy In Your Home - pdf - 473 Kb
The National Energy Foundation website has advice on:
- reducing energy bills
- ways to save heat & fuel at home
- switching energy suppliers
- access to local and national grants & offers for energy efficiency home improvements
- relieving fuel poverty
- how to stay warm over winter
The Energy Saving Trust also offers a source of advice on home energy improvements, including:
- general energy saving tips and advice
- information on available grants, and buying energy saving home appliances
- online home energy checks which could reduce your energy bills through improving home energy efficiency
The Better Housing Better Health service
We are committed to supporting residents vulnerable to fuel poverty and cold homes. In partnership with the National Energy Foundation (NEF) and other Oxfordshire Local Authorities we have developed the Better Housing Better Health service. This service aims to reduce the number of people in fuel poverty and provides access to impartial energy advice and free home energy visits. These are called Warm and Well assessments.
The NEF also help people on a low income to get grants for energy efficiency and heating improvements in their homes. This winter we are providing additional funding support for energy improvements to the people who need it most. Contact the Better Housing Better Health service to find out whether you are eligible for our fuel poverty grant. You may be able to get a grant if you:
- have a long term health condition
- are in receipt of a means-tested benefit
- are over the age of 60
- live in an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) F or G banded property
- are eligible for other schemes operated by Better Housing Better Health.
Download our Energy Company Obligation (ECO) Statement of Intent.
Cosy Homes Oxfordshire
Cosy Homes Oxfordshire is a project set up with UK Government funding to provide homeowners and landlords advice on how to carry out energy-efficiency improvements to their homes.
Visit the Cosy Homes Oxfordshire website for more information and contact details.
Grants
The following grants are currently available to eligible residents living in West Oxfordshire.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme
Eligible homeowners can now apply for £5,000 off the cost and installation of an air source heat pump or biomass boiler, or £6,000 off the fitting of a ground source heat pump, through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
This government-funded grant aims to make these low-carbon alternatives more affordable and in line with the cost of a traditional gas boiler to encourage more of us to switch to greener ways of heating our homes when it's time to replace our current system.
Up to four-times more energy efficient than gas boilers, a heat pump should reduce home energy bills and cut emissions in the long-term. Find out more about the scheme: GOV.UK - Upgrade scheme
Find out if a heat pump could be suitable for your home: GOV.UK - Check heat pump
ECO Funding
Funding is available for energy efficiency measures such as loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and heating system replacement via the Government’s Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding. The aim of the funding is to reduce carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty. It is for homeowners and some private tenants who are vulnerable. This is defined as a householder receiving income-related benefit or low overall household income; and resident vulnerable to the cold. Vulnerabilities could include suffering from a long-term health condition, being in receipt of non-means tested benefit or living in a low energy performance home.
NEF work with installers who have access to ECO funding and can refer residents for funding. Residents who think they may be eligible for ECO funding should contact NEF on the free phone number 0800 107 0044 which is open 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays).
Welcome the Warmth
Welcome the Warmth provides fully funded energy efficiency improvements and low carbon heating system to qualifying off-gas homes in the district. These improvements are funded by the government’s Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) administered by the Department of Energy, Security and Net Zero.
Off-gas homes that meet the following criteria are eligible:
- Your home has an EPC rating of D, E, F or G (you can check your home’s EPC rating here: www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate)
And either:
- You have a total household annual income of £39,000 or less (before housing costs/bills)
Or:
- You receive a means-tested benefit
Or:
- Your home is within an LSOA (Lower Super Output Area) 1-3 postcode area (we will verify this for you once you have made your application)
Grant applications can be made via the Welcome the Warmth website or by phone call (Freephone) 0800 038 6775.
West Oxfordshire’s Fuel Poverty Grant
A £1,000 grant is available to West Oxfordshire residents for measures to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Eligible homeowners must be in receipt of a means-tested benefit. Residents who think they may be eligible for the Fuel Poverty Grant should contact NEF on the free phone number 0800 107 0044 which is open 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays).
Further information about all of the above grants is available on the NEF website.