Sustainable Warmth

Funding available for energy-efficiency measures for your household

Across the UK, many households will see the cost of gas and electricity rise by more than 50% from April 2022 as the energy price cap – the limit on what energy suppliers can charge – increases.

This shift will see many feeling the pinch, but there are changes you can make to try and keep energy costs under control. Energy-saving improvements could make your home more efficient, keeping a lid on rising energy prices. Some households across the South East may even be eligible for a government grant to fund energy-efficiency works.

Sustainable Warmth is a new Government grant scheme designed to fund energy-efficiency upgrades to residents who are most likely to be impacted by the high cost of rising bills. These improvements will help residents to use less energy and spend less on their energy bills.

How it helps:

Energy saving tech and upgrades installed by approved installers
Creating warmer, healthier homes
Helping to cut carbon emissions
Funding available for homes on and off the gas grid

The energy-efficiency grants will cover a range of energy-saving home improvements designed to balance the needs of residents with carbon reduction and grant availability.

What energy saving improvements can I get for my home?

Energy and cost-saving upgrades that you may be able to get for your home:

Insulation and ventilation upgrades
An upgrade to a low carbon heating system (the new heating system cannot include a gas or oil boiler)
Heating Controls
Solar PV (that generates free electricity)
Energy Efficient lighting

Grants available

Owner occupiers

For homes connected to the gas grid, the grant is up to £10,000. For homes not connected to the gas grid, the grant is on a sliding scale, from £10,000 to £25,000. The exact amount available is dependent on the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of the home and the fuel source that heats the home currently (the EPC can be determined by the programme if it is unknown).

Privately rented properties

To qualify the tenant must meet the income eligibility and the landlord will need to contribute a minimum of one third towards the cost of the upgrades in addition to the grant provided.

For privately rented properties connected to the gas grid, the grant is up to £5000. For privately rented properties not connected to the gas grid, the grant is on a sliding scale, from £10,000 to £16,666. The exact amount available is dependent on the EPC of the home and the fuel source that heats the home currently.

If overall costs exceed the maximum grant available, additional investment by the landlord will be required. Costs and the contributions expected from the landlord will be agreed prior to commencement of work.

Grant eligibility

To be eligible for Sustainable Warmth Funding the following criteria must be met:

The household must be a private domestic dwelling in England with an EPC rating of E, F or G. There is a 30% cap on Band D properties, and with high interest in the scheme and a high proportion of D rated properties put forward already, you may be placed on a waiting list if your home is D rated. If your property’s EPC is unknown, it can be determined by the programme.
The household must have one either i) a household income of no more than £30,000 (before tax or any other deductions) ii) an equivalised income where cost of living is below £20,000 (i.e. after rent or mortgage costs) iii) a household composition (e.g. number of dependents) which stretches income to a position where they would be in fuel poverty.

The scheme opened on 1 April 2022 to private tenants/landlords and homeowners. You can check your eligibility through the online application form.

If you prefer to phone, please call Eon on 0333 202 4859. Eon are the supply partner and will manage the process.

Frequently Asked Questions

+ Who are we?

The Greater South East Net Zero Hub is an organisation that works to tackle climate change. It has been set up and is funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and is hosted by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA).

The Great South East Net Zero Hub provides support to 64 councils across the South East area of England to administer the Sustainable Warmth programme. The programme is comprised of two schemes: Local Authority Delivery Phase 3 (LAD3) and Home Upgrade Grant Phase 1 (HUG1) which are Government-funded schemes to make energy-saving improvements to the homes of people who struggle to pay their heating bills.

Eon is the Managing Agent of the scheme. This means that Eon is responsible for making sure that the scheme works well, from the initial sign-up process, through to a home assessment, the installation of energy-saving improvements, and a quality inspection to ensure that everything has been fitted to a high standard.

+ How will my data be shared/stored?

If you apply to the scheme, your personal data (such as your name and address) will be shared with Eon, BEIS and CPCA for the purpose of dealing with your enquiry. Eon, BEIS and CPCA abide by the UK Government's General Data Protection Regulations. These regulations protect your personal data and require any organisation in the country to provide you with a copy of their Privacy Notice if you share personal information with them. A Privacy Notice is information that explains how an organisation will look after your personal data.

+ Can someone else apply for me?

Yes. You can ask someone else to speak on your behalf. This may be a friend, family member, carer or, in some cases, your landlord. If you would like to do this, we will need your permission and the other person’s contact details.

+ How long will the process take?

All energy-saving improvements must be completed by 31 March 2023. We are unable to provide exact timings for individual applications as we are helping a high number of households across South East England.

+ Why do I need a survey?

To qualify for the Sustainable Warmth scheme, your home’s energy rating needs to be below a certain threshold. The surveyor will assess your home’s energy performance, to provide an accurate rating of how energy efficient your home is. The survey will also show how much of a difference any recommended energy efficiency measures will make.

+ What do I do if my property does not have an Energy Performance Certificate?

To qualify for the Sustainable Warmth scheme, the energy rating of your home needs to be below a certain threshold. An Energy Performance Certificate will be produced as part of the survey to confirm that your property is eligible.

+ How is the £30,000 income of people applying to the scheme calculated?

£30,000 income is calculated as your annual income after tax reductions. Please note, if there are two or more adults within the household, your combined income must be less than £30,000 after tax reductions.

You may also be eligible if your income is below £20,000 after rent or mortgage costs or if the number of dependants in your household stretches your income so that you struggle to pay your energy bills.

+ What income and expenditure evidence will I need to provide?

When a survey is carried out on your home to find out whether it qualifies for the scheme, we will also ask you for evidence of the income of all adults in the home. This may include pay slips, P60s, benefit letters (if applicable) or bank statements if no other option is available. We may also need a copy of your mortgage statement (or tenancy agreement) and your council tax bill. In specific cases open banking may be used to assess eligibility. This information is needed to show that you qualify for the scheme.

+ What if I can’t find the necessary documents?

If you can’t find the necessary evidence of eligibility during the survey appointment, we will give you time to provide these to us after the survey. You will need to provide the evidence of eligibility before our application can progress any further. In some cases, there may be other ways we can confirm your eligibility. For example, we could request your permission for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to confirm your benefits to us. If this is the case, your surveyor will explain this to you.

+ I am a landlord/tenant, can I apply?

Yes. Privately rented properties may be eligible for a grant of up to £5,000. The tenant will need to meet the income eligibility, and both landlords and tenants must consent to the grant application. The landlord must provide a minimum contribution of 33% towards the cost of the works.

+ I am a landlord and my property is empty, can I apply?

No, the grant is awarded based on the eligibility of the tenant living in the property.

+ What energy-saving improvements are included in this scheme?

Wall, loft and underfloor insulation, as well as low carbon heating technologies such as Air Source Heat Pumps, Ground Source Heat Pumps and solar photovoltaics are included in the scheme.

Heating technologies run by fossil-fuels such as mains gas, LPG, oil and coal are excluded.

+ What should I expect from the installation visit?

Everyone who carries out installations of energy-saving improvements on the Sustainable Warmth scheme, on behalf of Eon, is trained and qualified to the highest quality standards. We make sure they adhere to a strict code of conduct on leaving your home clean and tidy. However, the work may be noisy and disruptive, particularly if it includes changes to the heating system. You may be asked to make preparations before the work starts, such as moving furniture or moving your pets to a safe place. The registered installation company will always do their best to keep disruption to a minimum. They will also make every effort to ensure you are happy with the work before they leave.

+ What happens if I need to change any of my appointments?

You can contact us or your registered installation company at any time to inform us of anything that means you need to alter appointments. We ask that you give us as much notice as possible. But we understand that sometimes circumstances can change quickly, and we will always do our best to meet your needs.

+ Is the grant subject to any conditions, or does it need to be repaid?

The grant does not have to be repaid, provided the terms of the grant are complied with. The terms of the grant require the owner-occupier (or tenant) to sign a document confirming that the works have been completed and they must also allow access for any post installation surveys or inspections that are needed after installation.

Your home or property will not be used to provide any kind of guarantee for the grant.

+ I don’t think my application is moving as quickly as it should. What should I do?

We try to reach everyone as quickly as possible. If you are concerned about the progress of your application, please contact the Eon Customer Service Team by phone on 0800 011 6189.