A specific code on your household bill can reveal if you qualify for free home upgrades worth thousands of pounds, potentially reducing your bills by £400. If you live in a certain council tax band, you may be eligible for a government scheme designed to help you save on energy costs.
The Great British Insulation Scheme, launched last September, offers savings of up to £400 annually on energy bills. Eligibility requires residing in a home within council tax bands A-D in England or A-E in Scotland and Wales.
This scheme aims to enhance the energy efficiency of the least efficient homes in Great Britain, addressing fuel poverty and reducing carbon emissions. To qualify, your home must need energy-efficiency improvements such as cavity wall insulation. Each home will receive one insulation upgrade, determined by a retrofit assessment.
The assessment evaluates how energy use and carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced through property modifications. Some households in the low-income group may also receive secondary measures like room thermostats or boiler programmers.
Homeowners or tenants with landlord permission can apply. Ofgem explains that the general group includes households with properties having an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D to G, and within Council Tax bands A to D in England and A to E in Scotland and Wales.
Qualification for the ECO scheme is contingent on specific circumstances, such as receiving certain benefits and living in private housing. Eligible benefits include Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit, Universal Credit, Pension Guarantee Credit, Pension Savings Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Child Benefit, and Housing Benefit.
Residents of social housing may also qualify.
Original Story by James Rodger : MSN.com
