savingenergyuk-blog

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Lower Your Cavity Wall Insulation Costs with Grants

With increasing rate of energy consumption and CO2 emission, insulating cavity walls is the need of the hour. Understanding its urgent requirement for saving the environment and nation’s resources, the UK government has made cavity wall insulation a mandatory home improvement strategy in existing buildings.

Though cavity insulation is cost-effective and can influence to low your utility bills up to 15 per cent, but initially it may wreck your savings. Households with limited savings and income to cover expenses have little left to afford lump sum costs of cavity insulation. Moreover, the requirement for the amount of particular insulation materials varies as per the area targeted for insulation. Some insulation materials are safe to be handled by homeowners, whereas some demand the use of professional contractors with extensive experience in cavity, external wall and loft insulation. In that case, labour of insulation contractors adds up to costs for insulation materials and equipment, making installation of cavity further expensive. 

Insulation grants can lessen such expensive costs. 

Cavity wall insulation grants are one of those luxe benefits you get being a resident of the United Kingdom. The grant aids UK households with financial coverage, covering anything from 50% of the cost to entire installation costs depending upon different factors. These grant schemes are designed for low-income families who are entitled to several benefits such as state pension ‘guarantee’ credit, child benefits, child tax credit, disability allowance, etc.

The best way to ascertain eligibility for insulation grants and estimate the total amount of insulation grants is by calling for insulation survey. Several companies offer services where they will send their professionals for conducting survey and produce a thorough report covering chances for cavity wall insulation grants. Once you are approved with these grants, you are contributing to your home and environment a safer and comfortable place to live in.

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Who Qualifies Under the Free Loft Insulation Scheme?

There are freebies on offer if you qualify under certain government grants that help increase energy efficiency. Insulating a loft is one of those 100% free benefits. 

But, why bother insulating the loft?

Loft insulation is the easiest way to improve your home’s EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) rating. With improper loft insulation, the warmth produced by the heating system in your home escapes through the roof, losing around 25% of the heat. Improving insulation reduces around £120 to £300 per annum in your energy bills. Insulation also acts as a barrier preventing the loss of warmth during winters. Proper insulation even makes you eligible for additional home improvement grants such as the Green Deal or Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). 

 Eligibility Criteria for Free Loft installation

You are likely to be eligible for free loft insulation if you or anybody in your family receives any of the following benefits:

Disability living allowance

Severe disablement allowance

Industrial injuries disablement benefit

Armed forces independence payment

Pension Credit Guarantee Credit Element

War pensions mobility supplement

Attendance allowance

Income-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA)

Income-related employment and support     allowance (ESA)

Personal independence allowance

Personal independence payment

Carer’s allowance

Child Tax Credit

Universal Credit

Working tax credit

Child benefit dependant on income &     dependants

If you do not fall into any of these categories, you are still eligible under the UK government’s ECO funding scheme. 

Free Loft Insulation under ECO

The Energy Companies Obligation (ECO) is a governmental scheme that was launched in 2013 to replace the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) as well as the Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP). It functions with one mission – to help the UK improve its energy efficiency. Around 1.6m homes got free insulation services under this scheme from 2013 to 2016. 

The scheme legally obliges energy suppliers to install a loft or cavity wall insulation, i.e., energy-efficient technologies in the domestic households. The energy suppliers cannot back out from their obligations, but in case they do, hefty fines are imposed. The criteria aren’t too strict, which is why most households are able to acquire free loft insulation services. However, it is a bit complicated.

Only a few chosen energy companies are entitled to offer grants, and figuring out if you are eligible is somewhat complicated. It considers several factors, such as where you live, what benefits you receive, the type of improvements your house needs, and so on. 

Therefore, the best way to identify if you are entitled to any grants is by getting in touch with your nearby energy supplier. It is a 100% free service if you are currently receiving benefits. So, do not miss out on your free loft insulation benefit to make UK greener and cleaner.