More grants available for homes without a gas heating system

30 May 2024

Many more privately owned or privately rented Sheffield households can benefit from a warm home that can be cheaper to run, following a change to eligibility rules for the Home Upgrade Grant.

Residents are encouraged to apply for these free energy efficiency measures for their homes as the eligibility criteria has now increased, but are urged to act quickly and apply before November 2024.

The eligibility pool has increased by nearly 20% following an increase to the income threshold for the grant.

The funding is accessible through the Warm Homes Sheffield initiative, which is currently open to applications. Warm Homes Sheffield is a collaborative partnership between Sheffield City Council and energy efficiency company Agility Eco.

Households with an annual income of £36,000 or less – up from the previous threshold of £31,000 - and who don't use a gas boiler as the main heating system can apply to receive free energy-saving upgrades. These include insulation, air source heat pumps, solar panels and more. You can still apply for this scheme if you have a gas connection such as a gas cooker, as long as it's not used for heating.

Homes that are mainly heated through electricity, oil, coal, liquid petroleum gas (LPG) or solid fuel are all eligible.

Further eligibility requirements include:

Resident must be a homeowner or private tenant
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D-G

The funding, secured by Sheffield City Council, is limited - applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis, with a final submission deadline of November this year (2024).

Eligible households could receive up to £38,000 in funding for energy efficiency measures, tailored to the needs of their property. The amount of funding available will depend on the property type and what measures are suitable for the property.

Cllr Douglas Johnson, Chair of the Housing Committee at Sheffield City Council, said: "Sheffield City Council are very pleased more people are now eligible for the Home Upgrade Grant. Raising the income threshold from £31,000 to £36,000 means that more Sheffield households can enjoy warmer and healthier homes.

"Sheffield’s homes should be fit for the present and the future. This shows we are focusing on improving the fabric structure of Sheffield’s homes and reducing carbon emissions, building in climate resilience. We continue to work across all types of housing so more homes are fit to live in, and will support the health of the people that live in them.”

John Moores of AgilityEco, said: “The Home Upgrade Grant is there to help low-income homeowners upgrade their property with free energy efficiency measures, in turn saving them money on their energy bills and increasing the value of their home. The problem is that few residents have heard about the funding or believe they are eligible. We would urge all residents in Sheffield that do not use mains gas central heating to check their eligibility and spread the word to friends and family before applications close later this year.”

To learn more or to apply for the Home Upgrade Grant (HUG2), register your interest via the Warm Homes Sheffield website or by calling 0800 107 8882 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

If you are unsure whether you might be eligible, call the above number and the team will be able to help.