Meon Valley MP Flick Drummond wants local households to check if they are eligible for a new £1 billion government fund designed to cut annual energy bills by up to £400.
The Great British Insulation Scheme was launched this week with an eligibility checker and referral service. It also incorporates the Home Upgrade Grant to help many of the area’s off grid houses.
Upgrading homes to be more energy efficient is the best long-term solution for reducing energy costs, tackling fuel poverty, and keeping warm and healthy in winter, Flick explained.
The government will spend the cash over three years to help over 300,000 households across the UK insulate their homes and save money on their heating.
To check eligibility, go to: https://www.gov.uk/apply-great-british-insulation-scheme
“This new announcement is extending help to many more households and is a substantial investment by the government to make our homes warmer and more efficient,” said Flick.
“We have many old and very characterful homes in Meon Valley and they add to the landscape but many are pretty leaky and inefficient. Any help is most welcome, especially because of the rise in energy prices following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and to also meet our net zero ambitions.
“I thank the government for announcing this pot of money. It will make a difference, not just to vulnerable and low-income households, but also to many others.”
The new scheme will offer support to those with an EPC rating of D or below that are also in Council Tax bands A-D in England as well as those that are low-income and vulnerable.
These households will be offered roof, loft or cavity wall insulation via their energy supplier, which could cut their annual energy bill by an average of between £300 to £400.
A tool has also been launched that covers the Home Upgrade Grant, meaning customers in off-the-gas-grid homes that have an EPC rating of D to G can find out what support is available, ranging from insulation and draft proofing to new windows and doors, as well as heat pumps and solar panels.