Grants Information

The government’s commitment to reducing the nation’s carbon emissions has resulted in many schemes aimed at assisting people in becoming more energy efficient, and even generating their own energy.

Listed below are the major sources of such funding, but don’t worry, Optimum Energy Solutions together with our certified partner companies keep fully up to date with all the grants schemes on offer and will assist you through the whole process.

Because Optimum Energy Solutions are only partnered with certified installers supplying certified products, our customers stand the best chance of qualifying for grants. Remember - many of those advertising slips and brochures you get through your letter box don’t mention the grants schemes because they’re not certified and their products might not be either!

The first step is to make homes more efficient so they use less energy. There are three main sources of such funding - from the government, energy suppliers, and local councils. Once a home is deemed to be efficient, the owner is then eligible to apply for a grant for microgeneration installations such as solar and wind power.

Energy Efficiency Grants

Energy Suppliers
The Government's Energy Efficiency Commitment means energy suppliers with a certain number of customers operating in Great Britain are obliged to achieve targets for improving home energy efficiency. The suppliers therefore provide ALL homeowners a range of offers (50 - 70 - 100% grants) which significantly reduce the cost of installing energy efficiency measures. What's more, you can take up offers from any of the energy companies, regardless of who supplies your gas and electricity.

The Government
The UK Government funds schemes providing up to £2,700 to households on certain benefits (see below for examples of eligibility criteria) to improve their heating and energy efficiency. The eligibility criteria for the schemes differ between countries - with some schemes you need to be in receipt of certain benefits, whilst others are available to anyone over a certain age. Full details can be found on the websites listed below.
Examples of Warmfront eligibility criteria - If you own your own home or rent it from a private landlord and if:

• You are 60 years or older and are in receipt of one or more benefits. Benefits include: income support, council tax benefit, housing benefit, job seekers allowance and pension credit.
  or
• You have a child under 16 or you are pregnant and have been given maternity MAT B1 and are also in receipt of benefits such as income support, council tax benefit etc.
  or
• You are in receipt of one or more benefits such as disability living allowance, child tax credit with an income of less than £15,460, housing benefit and disability premium etc.

Then you could be entitled to a warm front grant.
Visit the following websites for more information on the eligibility criteria for a:
Warmfront grant (England)
Warm Homes grant (Northern Ireland)
Warm Deal and the Central heating programme (Scotland)
Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (Wales)
Please note that grants levels vary.

Local authorities
Most Local authorities also provide grants and offers for local residents to install certain energy efficiency measures in their home. Feel free to contact your local authority directly if you wish, but Optimum Energy Solutions and our partner companies will of course do this as well to secure the best deal for you.

Microgeneration Grants

Low Carbon Buildings Programme Phase 1 and Phase 2
The DTI's Low Carbon Buildings Programme Phase 1 provides grants for microgeneration technologies for householders. Phase 2 provides grants for public sector buildings (including schools, hospitals, housing associations and local authorities) and charitable bodies.

As mentioned earlier, homeowners must undertake a number of energy efficiency measures before being eligible to apply for a Low Carbon Buildings Grant. These measures will ensure that you are minimising your energy requirements.
Before applying you are required to have:

a. insulated the whole of the loft of the property to meet current building regulations e.g. 270mm of mineral wool loft insulation or suitable alternative
b. installed cavity wall insulation (if you have cavity walls)
c. fitted low energy light bulbs in all appropriate light fittings
d. installed basic controls for your heating system to include a room thermostat and a programmer or timer.

Technologies
The technologies covered by the Low carbon buildings programme are listed below:
Solar photovoltaics.
Wind turbines.
Small hydro.
Solar thermal hot water.
Ground source heat pumps.
Bio-energy.
CHP (Combined heat and power).
Fuel cells.

Find out more
For Phase 1 of the programme, householders should visit the Low carbon buildings programme website for more information.

For more information on Phase 2, public sector buildings (including schools, hospitals, housing associations and local authorities) and charitable bodies should visit the Low carbon buildings programme phase 2 website.