Martin Lewis has encouraged all UK households to do a quick check as people could be eligible for freebies that could see their energy bills slashed. Mr Lewis is raising awareness of two government schemes that offer free insulation for many UK homes.
The team at Money Saving Expert (MSE), led by Mr Lewis, is urging people to check if they qualify for the Great British Insulation Scheme which is open to an additional 400,000 households. The two schemes are the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme, designed for those on a low income, and the Great British Insulation Scheme which is open to a further 400,000 households.
Under these projects, households can get free insulation, including loft, roof, cavity wall and other types of insulation. Low-income households can also get new boilers and heating controls (through the ECO scheme only).
Loft insulation along can save £590 for detached homes, while cavity wall and floor insulation can add up to £690 and £180 respectively, meaning a well insulated home can save £1480 on bills. MSE stated: “The Government has launched an online eligibility checker to see if you can get any energy-efficiency measures for your home under the Great British Insulation Scheme.
“Fill out the form and if you’re eligible, your energy supplier will contact you within 10 working days to ask for additional information and to arrange an assessment of your property.
“If you can’t use the online service, you can phone the helpline on 0800 098 7950 or contact your supplier directly. If you’re on a low income, you should contact your energy supplier directly to see what’s available to you.”
The scheme is open to households in council tax bands A-E across England, Wales and Scotland. You also must have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D or lower. One MSE reader, Del, shared: “I contacted the Help for Households government website after it was mentioned on a news article from you guys.
“I was called a few weeks later by UK Energy Management to arrange a survey and discovered my place was E rated [for energy performance]. Turned out I qualified for 12 solar panels, an air source heat pump, loft insulation, and new radiators throughout (plus plumbing) – all for free! (it would have cost £40k otherwise).”