Free Insulation
You need to be able to give your family a warm and healthy home to live in. Un-insulated homes are not only cold and miserable; they’re unsafe, and can cause serious health issues over time. Fully insulating your home including ceilings, walls and floors can quickly add up, and can become incredibly expensive. An insulation grant can help you provide a warm and comfortable home for you and your family that will last you for years to come.
How?
Various insulation schemes are available through the UK which offers homes that qualify, subsidised or free insulation grants based on their situations and incomes. Each scheme has slightly different qualifying factors, so if you don’t qualify for one there may be another available that can help you and your particular circumstance.
England – Energy Company Obligation (ECO)
Government legislation requires energy companies to assist domestic energy users in becoming more energy efficient whilst decreasing their energy bills. This obligation works alongside the government’s insulation scheme, Green Deal, which is aimed at hard-to-insulate homes.
There are three parts to the ECO; Carbon Savings, Carbon Savings Community and Affordable Warmth. Each one of these elements tackles different home heating situations, such as low income households, hard to treat homes (solid wall) and those in highly deprived areas of the country.
You need to be in receipt of the following benefits to quality for free insulation from the ECO. In addition, you need to own your own home or live in a home rented from a private landlord.
- Income-based job seekers allowance
- Income Support
- Working Tax Credit (income less than £15,860)
- Child Tax Credit (income less than £15,860)
- Pension Credit
Scotland – Energy Assistance scheme
If you are over the age of 60, or are in receipt of benefits you may be entitled to free insulation under this scheme or financial assistance towards your insulation. This scheme works in four stages;
- Stage 1. Free advice on making your home more energy efficient. This is available to all householders.
- Stage 2. Free assessment to see if you qualify for benefits or tax credits.
- Stage 3. At this stage if you meet certain criteria you could be eligible to receive free insulation in your cavity walls or loft.
- Stage 4. Under certain criteria you may be eligible to receive free central heating as well as free insulation in your home.
To be eligible for any of these benefits, unless you are over the age of 60, you need to be in receipt of these benefits;
- Attendance allowance
- Disability living allowance
- Housing benefit
- Employment and support allowance
- Industrial injuries disablement benefit
- Income support, income based job seekers allowance
- Child tax credit or working tax credit Council tax benefit
- War disablement pension
Wales – Nest Fuel Poverty Scheme
Under this scheme some householders can receive whole house assessments, which may lead them to qualify for free insulation and home improvements. To qualify for an assessment you must live in a home that that isn’t energy efficient, or receive a means tested benefit such as;
- Income Support
- Child Tax Credit
- Pension Credit
- Council Tax Benefit Housing Benefit
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Working Tax Credit
Northern Ireland – Warm Homes Scheme
Under this grant, eligible homeowners are entitled to free insulation and heating up to the value of £6,500. Two types of grants are available under this scheme, ‘warm homes’ and ‘warm homes plus’. Under the warm homes scheme, householders of any age are eligible to apply for free insulation, as well as hot water tank jackets and benefit entitlement checks.
Under the warm home plus scheme, householders of any age in receipt of specific benefits are eligible to receive new oil or gas central heating, free insulation and conversion to a new oil or gas heating system if need be.
