Oxford residents encouraged to apply for Home Upgrade Grant

Earlier this year, the Council received £1,080,000 as part of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Home Upgrade Grant (HUG 2). This week (17 - 24 January), which is Energy Savers Week, Oxford residents whose homes are not heated by mains gas are being encouraged to apply for the Home Upgrade Grant.  

The Home Upgrade Grant aims to support eligible properties to be warmer and more energy efficient by providing a range of free energy and cost saving upgrades – also known as retrofitting. 

Retrofitting is the process of making changes to your property, such as installing heat pumps, solar panels, loft insulation, wall insulation, and more – all of which can help reduce a building’s energy consumption and carbon emissions.    

The new funding aims to help homes that do not use gas as their main source of heating to install free energy efficiency measures including:  

• Cavity wall insulation 
• External wall insulation 
• Loft insulation, including top-ups 
• Underfloor Insulation 
• Solar panels 
• Solar hot water system 
• Air source heat pump 

More information on the measure can be found on the HUG website.

The funding aims to help households that: 

• are on a low income – earning an annual household income of £31,000 or less 
• are living in a home not heated by mains gas, including oil, coal, LPG, or electric heating.  Homes that are connected to the grid for cooking, but use other types of fuel to heat their homes are also eligible
• have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) between D and G  - Homes that do not have an EPC rating will also be provided with a free assessment. 

The funding, which is being coordinated through the Greater South East Net Zero Hub, is open to both homeowners and those living in private rented properties. Landlords may also be able to benefit from the funding if their tenants are eligible.  

The installation work will be carried out by Agility Eco, on behalf of the Council. 

Residents can apply at hugapply.co.uk or by calling 0800 107 8883 

Tackling Oxford’s housing emissions 

Oxford has a target to become a net zero carbon city by 2040 – ten years ahead of the government’s deadline – and retrofitting existing homes is key to achieving that. 

In Oxford, residential buildings are the largest contributor to Oxford’s carbon emissions, making up 29% of total emissions, with privately rented and owned homes contributing to 79% of residential housing emissions in Oxford. 

Accessing the main gas grid is the most common way of heating a home in England. However, the Energy Saving Trust estimates that approximately four million households across the UK are off the gas grid – meaning they do not have access to mains gas for heating. Instead, these homes often rely on alternative sources of fuel, which can be more expensive. 

In Oxford, it is estimated that most off-grid non-gas-heated homes use electric heating as their main source. 

In November 2023, the Council launched a retrofitting web guide for residents to find out more about the process and funding options that are available.  

Our Retrofitting page aims to provide a resource for residents who are interested in retrofitting, signposting to a range of grants, guides, and useful information to get started on their retrofit journey. Residents can find out more about the Home Upgrade Grant, Boiler Upgrade Scheme, Energy Company Obligation fund, which range from funding for people on low incomes and living in hard to heat homes, as well as general grants for homeowners.      

“Buildings are the biggest source of carbon emissions in Oxford, and many people do not know how they can improve the energy efficiency of their homes and what financial support is available. This free grant funding aims to support people who do not use mains gas to heat their homes, and are often at risk of fuel poverty. If you are eligible, or know someone who might be, please get in touch.” 

Councillor Anna Railton, Cabinet Member for Zero Carbon Oxford and Climate Justice