Owning your own home can be expensive. Recent rises in, gas and electricity have made running a home a costly business. So it is good to know there are grants and schemes available to help reduce some of these costs.
According to the Energy Saving Trust (2007), the average household could save around £250 a year by installing energy efficiency measures.
If you improve the insulation in your property you improve the thermal efficiency of your home, for example, by insulating your walls and loft spaces you could reduce heat loss by up to 45% and prevent a lot of wasted energy.
Falkirk Council Universal Home Insulation Scheme
Falkirk Council has an ongoing commitment towards the promotion of energy conservation and is now able to offer home owners in Denny, Bonnybridge and Grangemouth free home insulation ie loft or cavity insulation or both, funded by the Scottish Government. This will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
The Council, in partnership with Home Energy Scotland has appointed SIG Energy Management (formerly Miller Pattison) as the contractor who will carry out the surveys and undertake the insulation work.
Is there a catch?
There really is no catch – if your home is suitable, insulation can be installed at no cost to you, but you could save up to £155 a year on energy bills as well as the cost of fitting loft insulation of between £100 and £300 and cavity wall insulation of between £100 and £350.
To arrange a no obligation survey, please call the Scottish Government’s Home Energy Scotland Hotline free on 0800 512 012 or visit Home Energy Scotland|.
Grants for insulation
Most energy companies offer reduced price cavity wall and loft insulation. You don't even need to be their customer.
To find out more contact:
All of the above offer free cavity wall and/or loft insulation to homeowners and private tenants over 70, or in receipt of one qualifying benefits /tax credits.
Qualifying Benefit/ Tax Credit:
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Income support
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Housing benefit
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Council tax benefit (not including single occupancy reduction)
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Income-based jobseeker's allowance
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Attendance allowance
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Disability living allowance
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War disablement pension (which must include mobility supplement or constant attendance allowance)
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Disablement pension credit (which must include constant attendance allowance)
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Child tax credit (with a household income of less than £16,190)
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Working tax credit (with a household income of less than £16,190)
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State pension credit
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If you are over 70 years old
Scottish Government Schemes
From 6 April 2009 the Scottish Government Warm Deal and Central Heating Programme was replaced with the Energy Assistance Package. The package has 4 stages.
Stage 1 – everyone who phones the Energy Saving Scotland advice centre will receive free expert energy advice.
Stage 2 – Those at risk of fuel poverty may be offered benefit and tax credit check and advice on low cost energy tariffs.
Private Sector: you may qualify for a package of standard insulation measures (cavity wall and loft insulation) if you are a home owner or the tenant of a private landlord and you or your partner is:
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Aged 70 or over and you have no central heating or
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Aged 75 or over; or
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Receive a qualifying benefit
Stage 4 – You may qualify for enhanced measures if you are a home owner or the tenant of a private sector landlord and you or your partner is :
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Aged 60 or over and you have no central heating system in your home
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You are a home owner or the tenant of a private sector landlord and you live in an energy inefficient home and you or your partner :-
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is aged 75 or over
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is aged 60 or over and receives a qualifying benefit
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has a child under 16 and receives a qualifying benefit
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is pregnant and receives a qualifying benefit
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are terminally ill (in receipt of DS1500 certificate)
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receive the highest rate of care component or the higher rate of mobility component of disability living allowance and be in receipt of one other qualifying benefit (The regulation will come into force on 30 November 2011)
To find out if you are eligible for free insulation or central heating please contact the Energy Saving Scotland advice centre on FREE PHONE 0800 512 012.
Who do I contact to find out more?
To find out if you are eligible for free insulation or central heating please contact the Energy Saving Scotland advice centre on 0800 512 012.
If you have access to the internet visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk|
Energy Saving Scotland advice centre
This organisation is dedicated to achieving energy efficiency within the region. Staff can provide impartial energy efficiency advice as well as information on grants available to reduce your energy use.
A home energy check, based on individual circumstances, can be produced at your request detailing specific energy saving measures and advises on any grants which may be available to help reduce your energy consumption.
For more information on any of the above please phone 0800 512 012 (Monday–Friday, 9.00am–5.00pm).
Email: sustainability@thewisegroup.co.uk|
Scottish Boiler Scrappage Scheme – the installation of an efficient heating system is one effective way of reducing your household energy bills and CO2 emissions. The scheme will offer owner occupiers a voucher entitling them to a £400 subsidy towards the cost of upgrading inefficient boilers with an Energy Saving trust recommended (ESTR) boiler in their property.
To apply or to obtain further information – log onto the EST website| Or call Energy Saving Scotland advice centre – 0800 512 012
Council Tax Energy Efficiency Discount Scheme
Falkirk Council in partnership with Scottish Gas is offering homeowners a Council Tax Energy Efficiency Discount.
This scheme offers a reduction on your council tax of £50 following the installation of either cavity wall or loft insulation (£100 if both installed) by Scottish Gas.
The scheme will commence 1st April 2011.
To arrange a free-no obligation survey call Scottish Gas on 0845 605 2535 and quote FALKIRK 11.
Alternatively, you can call the Energy Saving Scotland advice centre on 0800 512 012 to find out about other energy saving incentives or see Household Energy Advice|.