Residents in Oxford are being encouraged to apply for free energy efficiency measures, after the income eligibility for the Home Upgrade Grant has been raised from £31,000 to £36,000.
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).
The government 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, loft insulation, solar panels, air source heat pumps, and more.
The funding aims to help households that:
- are living in a home not heated by mains gas, including oil, coal, LPG, or electric heating.
- and 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.
- and are on a low income
- or live in the most economically deprived areas (IMD 1-3)
Previously, the scheme required an annual household income of £31,000 of less. However, this has now been increased to include households earning less than £36,000 per year (or £20,000 after factoring in rent/mortgage costs).
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 find out more information about the scheme and apply at the HUG apply website 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.
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.
Retrofitting, the process of upgrading properties by installing heat pumps, solar panels, loft insulation, wall insulation, and other energy-efficient measures, is essential for improving building energy efficiency and reducing emissions.
Comment
“It is great news that the government has decided to increase the income eligibility criteria for the Home Upgrade Grant. This means that even more people can access support to help make their homes more energy efficient. If you did not quite reach the threshold before, I encourage you to check the criteria again, as you may now be eligible.”
Councillor Anna Railton, Cabinet Member for Zero Carbon Oxford and Climate Justice
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