The Home Upgrade Grant Phase 2 (HUG 2) targets homes which do not access the gas grid for their heating. The aim of the programme is to tackle fuel poverty and make progress towards the UK’s 2050 Net Zero Carbon commitment.
Households with a gross household income below £31,000 (or below £20,000 once the household’s composition, housing and benefits are taken into account) could qualify for a grant. Residents who live in an area identified by the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) will also be eligible to apply.
The heating must be off the gas grid and currently heated by electricity, oil, liquid propane gas or solid fuels. It must also have an Energy Performance Certificate of D to G. There will be support available for residents to get an Energy Performance Certificate and to explain exactly what the information on an existing Certificate means.
Residents participating in the scheme will benefit from approved installers who will visit their home to work out which improvements would have the biggest impact on reducing heating costs. Upgrades to the property could include insulation and ventilation, modern heating systems such as air source heat pumps, new heating controls and energy efficient lighting, although double glazing is not covered.
Most funding is available for the least efficient homes heated by the most polluting fuel sources.
Research by East Herts Council suggests that as many as 700 householders in the district could benefit, with those meeting the criteria in the following postcode areas the most likely to qualify:
• Cottered: SG9 9
• Mundens: SG11 1, SG12 0, SG14 3, SG2 7
• Much Hadham: SG10, CM20 2, CM21 0, SG10 6
• Sawbridgeworth: CM21 9
Councillor Tim Hoskin, Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability at East Herts Council, said: “Phase 2 of the Home Upgrade Grant is a key step towards improving the district’s most energy inefficient homes. With fuel costs at an all-time high, we want to help low-income households save money whilst also cutting carbon and supporting our progress towards being a net zero district.”
East Herts Council and its partner WarmWorks will be contacting residents who they believe are likely to be eligible for the scheme. Further information is also available on the East Herts website: https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/HUG2
To check their eligibility or to apply, residents should visit Home Upgrade Grant – Free energy-saving improvements for your home (hugapply.co.uk) or call the Energy Saving Trust on 0808 1968255.
