Making your home energy efficient

Advice is available to assist people to insulate their homes and be generally more energy-efficient. Home visits are also available to help people understand their energy bills and set heating controls most efficiently.

There are a number of steps you can take to save energy and cut costs in your home...

Can I get a grant for loft or cavity wall insulation?

If you receive a relevant income-related or disability-related benefit, you may get a 100 per cent grant through the Government Warm Front or other major utility-company schemes.

Anyone over 70, regardless of income or disability, can get free cavity wall insulation. Free loft insulation is also available for over 70s, provided there is currently less than 60 millimeters (approximately 2.5 inches) of insulation in your loft.

Supported by your local authority, the Home Energy Team at the Centre for Sustainable Energy provides free, impartial local advice about grants for insulation, from basic loft insulation to more complex solid wall retrofitting, as well as help with improving heating, lowering fuel bills and receiving the right benefits.

To save energy, lower your fuel bills and keep your home warm contact the Home Energy Team by

email home.energy@cse.org.uk

phone 0800 082 2234

twitter @CSE_HomeEnergy

Warm Streets scheme

Warm Streets is a Somerset-wide project that tackles the problem of cold, damp homes by installing loft and cavity wall insulation.

The service is now free to all owner occupied and privately rented households in South Somerset (subject to budgetary limits).

The scheme provides:

•A basic home energy survey

•Free cavity wall and loft insulation measures for households who own or privately rent (subject to survey)

•Loft insulation top-up is also free if there is less than 150mm of existing insulation.

•Inter-agency referrals for heating system upgrades (for those on eligible benefits via referral to the Government's Warm Front grant scheme) and household security

Warm Streets is committed to using the best products for the job. In the case of cavity wall insulation this is 'Diamond Bead' which has shown an improved performance over other cavity wall insulation materials. Loft insulation comprises of 270mm thick mineral wool rolls, and both products comply with the British Board of Agrément, ensuring quality and a high resistance to heat loss. Warm Streets uses one approved contractor which is Domestic and General Insulation.

Across Somerset, Warm Streets has installed over 7500 measures (loft and cavity wall insulation) since the project began in October 2008. That's a lot of warmer homes, a lot of lower energy bills and a lot less carbon emissions.

It is funded by Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) with additional support from five district councils and two unitary authorities of Somerset (Bath & North East Somerset, Mendip, North Somerset, Sedgemoor, South Somerset, Taunton Deane and West Somerset).

To find out if Warm Streets can help you get a grant for your home insulation, please contact CSE's Home Energy team free on: 0800 082 2234 or email: home.energy@cse.org.uk.

Can I get a grant to replace my boiler?

If you are on an income-related or disability-related benefit, you may get a 100 per cent grant through the Government Warm Front scheme. Telephone 0800 316 2814 (freephone) for details.

There are also a discounted boiler scheme: Energysmart. Telephone 0845 230 3320.

Can I get a grant for solar photo voltaics?

No. Grants are no longer available, but you may still benefit from feed-in tariffs (payments for the low carbon electricity produced).

What are Feed-In Tariffs ?

These tariffs provide financial incentives for people and businesses to install electricity-generating technologies, such as solar electricity panels (photovoltaics) and wind-turbines.

Further details can be found on the Energy Saving Trust web page (go to the tab marked "generate your own energy").

Do you want to get cheaper heating oil?

The Community Council for Somerset (CCS) is running a community oil buying scheme, which will allow you to purchase as little at 500litres at a time but gain the advantage of the lower price that a large bulk order will gain. Find out more and join the scheme.

Useful Information:

The Green Deal

Somerset Fuel Poverty Gap Analysis

Introducing the Home Energy team at the Centre of Sustainable Energy

Useful Links:

Direct Gov

Energy Saving Centre

Citizens Advice Bureau Housing Service

Sustainable Construction

Subject to funding, you may be eligible for a 100% grant through the Somerset Warm Streets scheme.

Warm Streets is a joint project between all the local authorities in Somerset (Bath & North East Somerset, Mendip, North Somerset, Sedgemoor, South Somerset, Taunton Deane and West Somerset ), Scottish and Southern Energy, and the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE).

Warm Streets provides free cavity wall and loft insulation if you are have a combined household income of less than £30,000 per annum and savings of less than £20,000

(Please note that the current depth of insulation in your loft will affect the level of grant you may receive, and these grants are subject to change depending on available funding).

If the above criteria does not apply to you, then you should be eligible for up to a 50% grant of the cost of having the work done.

For a standard three bedroom semi-detached house the cost is likely to be about £150 for cavity wall insulation,but this is likely to save you around £100 per year in reduced heating bills.

If, for example, five years ago you had paid £150 for cavity wall insulation, by now you would have saved £500 in reduced fuel bills ! Not a difficult decision, is it ???

Lucy Lloyd-Price from Warm Streets said: "We are delighted that we are able to provide this fantastic opportunity to everybody, right across the area. Many people just aren't aware of the tremendous effect that home insulation can have on helping to reduce their fuel costs.

"Reducing energy bills isn't just about helping people keep warm during the winter, it's about reducing them all year around. And insulation can also help to keep you cool during the warm summer months. It's also about maximising people's income so they are able to afford their fuel bills and so they do not have to economise on other areas of household expenditure, such as food or clothing."

As well as discounted insulation, the Warm Streets project also offers householders free and impartial advice on how they can further lower their heating and electricity bills, as well as help with ensuring they are claiming all the benefits they are entitled to.

To find out more about how Warm Streets can help you, or for further energy saving advice, call the South West Energy Saving Trust advice centre on: 0800 512 012 or email warmstreets@cse.org.uk