As we head into winter, Stratford-on-Avon District Council is pleased to announce new funding options available to residents to help keep homes warm and reduce the cost of energy bills.

The new schemes are the Home Upgrade Grant – phase 2 (HUG2), Energy Support Fund (ESF) and Physical Intervention Fund (PIF). 

HUG2 is funded by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, and ESF and PIF are funded by Stratford-on-Avon District Council.

Stratford-on-Avon District Council Leader Susan Juned, said: “We recognise that some households are struggling with the cost of heating their homes this winter.

“These funding schemes aim to assist as many residents as possible with either direct support to pay their bills, or to improve energy efficiency and heating systems which will help to lower fuel costs and help to prevent the health problems that arise from damp and mould in housing.”

HUG2 is designed to specifically tackle cold and damp homes that are not connected to the mains gas heating network. If you are eligible for the scheme, and your home assessment recommends the installation of energy efficiency measures, all works are carried out free of charge.

ESF has been set up to offer financial support this winter for vulnerable households within the District who are struggling to pay their energy bills. This payment consists of a one-off payment of £500 (for households with children) or £300 (for households without children). This payment is made directly to the energy provider.

PIF is a programme to assist individuals and households experiencing hardship through significant increases in the cost of living. The scheme aims to support vulnerable households by paying for works to repair, supplement and/or improve domestic heating systems. Households can apply for works up to a limit of £6,000.

These new funding schemes complement the existing Energy Company Obligation funding, known as ECO4, which is a requirement for energy suppliers to help households reduce the costs of their home heating by fitting energy-saving measures.

The schemes all have different eligibility criteria which are listed on the District Council’s website: https://www.stratford.gov.uk/people-communities/green-home-grants.cfm 

Cllr Juned added: “The District Council’s investment into winter warmth funding will help us to fulfil our pledge to reduce the total carbon emissions in Stratford-on-Avon District by at least 55% by 2030 as a stepping-stone to becoming a net zero District.”

Stratford-on-Avon District Council has teamed up with local energy experts Act on Energy to help administer all winter warmth grant funding. The charity may contact residents directly to let people know about the funding and issue invitations to local events where they can find out more.

Act on Energy has been helping Midlands’ households with energy advice for 25 years and can provide residents with free, impartial advice about what funding might be available.

If you would like to apply for any of these funding schemes or find out more about eligibility criteria, please visit the Act on Energy website: www.actonenergy.org.uk. Or you can contact Act on Energy directly via phone 0800 988 2881 or email advice@actonenergy.org.uk.