£7.2m funding scheme for homes could save £350-£400 on residents' annual energy bills

The funding has been awarded to the South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership, which consists of Boston Borough Council, East Lindsey District Council and South Holland District Council,.

A total of £7,254,966 has been made available to deliver the next phase of Green Homes Grants awards, known as ‘Sustainable Warmth’, to private homeowners and landlords across the sub-region.

The Sustainable Warmth Programme is made up of two schemes which supports low-income households. The Home Upgrade Grant (HUG1) aims to upgrade the energy efficiency of properties off the gas network in England. The Local Authority Delivery Phase 3 (LAD3) is for properties which are connected to the mains gas network and has grants capped at £10,000 (£5,000 for landlords).

Funding between £5,000 and £25,000 will be awarded to properties to undertake energy efficiency improvements such as loft, cavity, underfloor, external/internal wall insulation, low-energy lighting upgrades, solar panels, draught-proofing and low-carbon heating measures such as air or ground source heat pumps.

To be eligible for the grant, households must have an Energy Performance Rating of E, F or G and a household income of less than £30k. Once eligible, an independent assessor will survey each property and make recommendations based on its energy performance.

The funding, provided by the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy, follows two successful applications – the first as a direct award to the Councils and the second as part of a consortium bid led by Midlands Energy Hub.

It has been divided across the three sub-regions, with East Lindsey having a total of £3,629,966, Boston a total of £1,850,000 and South Holland the remaining £1,775,000. The scheme will be provided by The Partnership as the three Councils work together to provide the funding to residents across the Borough and Districts.

This is the first major project since The Partnership formed and is a significant programme for residents in Boston, East Lindsey and South Holland. If households are eligible, the Sustainable Warmth project could help residents save an average of £350-£400 on their annual energy bills.

A joint statement from Councillor Paul Skinner Leader of Boston Borough Council, Councillor Graham Marsh, Deputy Leader of East Lindsey District Council, and Councillor Peter Coupland, Portfolio Holder for Finance at South Holland District Council said, “We are delighted that this funding has been awarded to deliver the Sustainable Warmth programme and we are excited for our residents to benefit from the funding by reducing their carbon footprint and increasing the efficiency of their homes.”

The Sustainable Warmth programme will start on 1 April 2022 and more details of the scheme criteria and how to apply will be released in due course.

Details of the current Green Homes Grants scheme are available at https://www.e-lindsey.gov.uk/greenhomesgrant