Paying for the improvements – Retrofit Bruton and Cary

Introduction

Retrofit Bruton and Cary is primarily for those who are able to afford the cost of the recommended energy efficiency measures.

This page summarises the assistance and grants that may be available. This is a rapidly changing field. We will attempt to ensure that the information on this page is accurate and up-to-date, but cannot guarantee this. We recommend that you also carry out your own research.

Assistance for those not able to pay

Owner occupiers

The Government’s Local Authority Delivery Scheme gives assistance of up to £10,000 to households provided that all of the following conditions are met:

The gross combined household income is less than £30,000 per year (or the householder is in receipt of one of various named benefits, such as Income Support or Universal Credit).
The property has an Energy Performance Rating of D or poorer (households in properties with an EPC rating of D can receive a maximum of £5,000, those rated E to G up to £10,000).
The Home Assessment and work need to be carried out and certified to PAS 2035 standards.
The work will need to be agreed by by 31 March 2022 and completed by 30 June 2022 (after that date it is likely that a replacement scheme will be set up, but details are not available).

In South Somerset this service is being delivered jointly by E.on Energy, and Happy Energy (Trading as HeatSomerset). They will carry out their own assessments and their tradespeople will do the work.

To check your eligility please contact E.on Energy, either by using their website or by calling 0333 202 4820 (lines open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday). You will not have to pay for an eligibility check or assessment even if it turns out that you are not eligible (for example if your home turns out to have an EPC rating of C or better).

Tenants

The government’s Local Authority Delivery Scheme also gives assistance to households living in private and social tenancies. The landlord will need to consent to the work being done, and apply on your behalf. The qualifying conditions are the same as those for owner-occupiers, but the amount paid is different. The conditions are:

The gross combined household income is less than £30,000 per year (or the householder is in receipt of one of various named benefits, such as Income Support or Universal Credit).
The property has an Energy Performance Rating of D or poorer.
The Home Assessment and work need to be carried out and certified to PAS 2035 standards.
The work will need to be agreed by 31 March 2022 and completed by 30 June 2022 (after that date it is likely that a replacement scheme will be set up, but details are not available).

Up to £2,500 is available for properties with an EPC rating of D, and £5,000 for properties with a rating of E to G. In each case the landlord must contribute at least a third of the cost of the work.

In South Somerset this service is being delivered by both E.on Energy, and Happy Energy (Trading as HeatSomerset). They will carry out their own assessments and their tradespeople will do the work.

Other assistance: loans

South Somerset District Council has arranged with Lendology to provide loans to householders undertaking energy efficiency improvements in South Somerset. Download the Lendology leaflet for more information. Other financial providers may also offer loans.

Other assistance: Boiler upgrade scheme

From April 2022 until March 2025 the government will pay up to £5,000 to replace an oil or gas boiler with a heat pump or biomass boiler. There are a number of conditions. You need to own the property, there must not be outstanding recommendations for loft and cavity wall insulation in your Energy Performance Certificate, and the work needs to be undertaken by a certified installer. For more details see here.