Renters and landlords of properties without gas central heating can now get energy saving green measures installed free of charge or at a significant discount, thanks to a new Leeds council scheme.
The council’s Home Energy Help team is working in partnership with energy services provider Everwarm Ltd to help as many households as possible benefit from £15.5m of government funding secured for Leeds homes from the Home Upgrade Grant, before it expires in March 2025.
Upgrades available include different types of insulation, heat pumps, solar panels, and electric radiators.
Tackling heat loss by installing energy-saving measures and low carbon heating can improve existing buildings by making them easier and cheaper to keep at a comfortable temperature.
Homeowners that qualify for the new scheme will be able to get upgrades fitted completely free of charge. Eligible landlords will be able to install the same improvements with a two-thirds discount.
Everwarm will work with applicants to agree a combination of upgrades that will be installed to improve the energy efficiency EPC rating of their property.
Applications for the scheme will be dealt with on a first-come, first-served basis.
One-in-six Leeds households were classed as living in fuel poverty in 2020, officially defined as living in a relatively inefficient home and having an income below the poverty line once energy bills are paid for.
Improving the energy efficiency and quality of Leeds’ homes has been identified as a key aim of the council because of its benefits for health, poverty alleviation, and role in cutting the city’s carbon footprint.
Residents can learn about the key benefits of energy upgrades, find out where to get impartial energy-efficiency advice, and learn more about the financial support available at www.leeds.gov.uk/homeenergy.
Councillor Mohammed Rafique, council executive member for climate, energy, environment and green space, says: “Tackling heat waste from our homes is a win-win-win. it helps household finances, improves our health, and is good for the planet too. While some homeowners can afford to invest in energy-saving measures with the right financial and technical advice, we know that many others will need additional support to access the benefits of green home upgrades.
“As a council, we’re determined to make it easier for Leeds homeowners and landlords to access the Home Energy Help they need to save money and cut carbon.
“I am therefore delighted to be able to launch this latest scheme which could see off-gas households benefit from up to £15.5 million of improvements. I would strongly encourage residents to check their eligibility online or phone while funding is available.”
Want to comment on this story? Our focus is on providing a platform for you to share your insights and views and we welcome contributions.
If any post is considered to victimise, harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals, then the post may be deleted and the individual immediately banned from posting in future.
Please help us by reporting comments you consider to be unduly offensive so we can review and take action if necessary. Thank you.
.jpg)
.png)
Join the conversation
Jump to latest comment and add your reply
I thouight new gas boilers were banned from 2025 under the "zero net energy" rules?
Only in new builds - the rest of us have until at least 2035.
GAS 😂😂😂 we are banning the bloody boilers are we not 🤷♂️🤷♂️
Left hand, meet right hand. 😉
Any form of electric heating will only make fuel poverty worse!
The article is talking about heat pumps, electric radiators, solar panels. Gas boilers are on its way out. However, last year when the boiler needed replacing in my property, the gas guy replaced it with a condensing boiler. Every time, I ask them about heat pumps, they do not have any knowledge or experience with it. Electricians do not wish to do that work. Are there any specialists who can do that? Replacing gas radiators with electric radiators is very costly and expensive for the tenants in their bills.
Air source heat pumps are a flawed technology. They are a result of knee jerk reaction by our Government. They may be ok in Nordic countries where the Houses were built to suit the environment. But the U.K. is light years behind. I definitely won’t be installing any in my properties.
i could have had one fitted for free, both myself and the tenant said no thank you
I think there is lot of false information out there about heat pumps & I believe they will be how we heat our homes in the future. However...there is a lot of improvement going on right now & until the product has been fine tuned & an appropriate number of installers trained, its only a few brave (rich) souls who will fit them.
Rather gas than electric, the electric ones I had in a flat the tenant took them off the wall and sold them for crack or other amphetamine based products...
Please login to comment