Lancashire Local Authorities land £41m for Home Upgrade Grants

Cosy Homes in Lancashire - an initiative which represents 14 of the county's Local Authorities - has secured a £41m funding pot to help residents make their homes more energy efficient.

The two-year scheme, entitled Home Upgrade Grant Phase 2 (HUG2), commences 1 April 2023 and is for low-income properties without gas central heating, with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D to G, or properties of a certain construction regardless of household income.

Grants are now available to help support the installation of insulation and renewable heating technologies, such as air source heat pumps or solar thermal panels. Grants are based on averages, but the average is expected to be around £18,800 per property.

A number of Local Authorities across the country have been awarded funding through HUG2, however the Lancashire consortium received one of the biggest pay outs.

Spanning 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2025, properties eligible for HUG2 are:

• Low-income households (less than £31,000 per annum)
• Properties of a certain construction, regardless of household income
• Not heated by gas central heating - properties heated by electric, gas fires/wall heaters, oil or LPG will qualify
• Energy inefficient with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) between D and G
• Property EPC ratings can be checked by visiting GOV.UK - Find an energy certificate.

Blackpool Council led the consortium which comprises Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Chorley, Hyndburn, Lancaster, Pendle, Preston, Ribble Valley, Rossendale, South Ribble, West Lancashire and Wyre.

Judith Mills, a representative of Cosy Homes in Lancashire, said:

"We're thoroughly delighted to have been awarded such a large funding pot through HUG2 and know it will mean so much to our low-income residents who are often, and very sadly, too cold to function in their own homes.

 

"The aim of HUG2 is to help residents to improve the warmth and comfort of their homes whilst also reducing energy bills, carbon emissions and the levels of fuel poverty across Lancashire.

"Residents are being urged to check their eligibility and seek access to the grant as soon as possible; the floodgates have literally opened, so the sooner they take action, the sooner they can be more comfortable in their home."

Chris Hayward, Director of Development and Housing at Preston City Council, added:

"This is great news for Lancashire, and for Preston, and shows the benefits of partnership working and a successful track record on delivery.

 

"Being in a position to help the residents of Preston on low incomes and making them aware of this funding is essential to ensure as many households as possible can benefit from energy efficiency measures. Properties of a particular construction within certain areas of Preston can also benefit - regardless of household income - so we encourage residents to visit the CHiL website and make an enquiry.

 

"Preston City Council, as part of CHiL, want to help you make your home greener and therefore better for the environment, but also importantly, warmer. The energy efficiency measures should also make it cheaper to heat your home in the future too.

 

"This scheme is one of a number of support measures being provided by the Council aimed at tackling the cost of living crisis and reducing carbon emissions."

The HUG2 grant announcement is being accompanied by a large-scale marketing campaign, with further detail to be revealed in due course.

More information

Figures on previous performance on CHIL for Preston:

• Local Authority Delivery (LAD the previous government grant scheme awarded to CHIL) ran from April 2021 to Sept 2022
• From 1 October 2022, the funding programme is called HUG (Home Upgrade Grant)
• The LAD programme in Preston upgraded 176 homes with a range of energy efficiency and heating improvements (but not gas) - insulation, new doors and windows, solar panels and smart heating controls
• The total investment drawn into Preston to complete this work was £1.52 million, and the work has achieved a carbon saving of 4,187 tonnes
• Compared to a house with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rated A-C, the additional cost of heating a poorly rated property is (based on end of 2022 heating costs):
  • EPC D £680 pa
  • EPC E £1,249 pa
  • EPC F and G £1,765 pa
• In Preston in 2021:
  • 56% of all houses had an EPC within A-C (36,823 houses)
  • 30% of all houses had an EPC of D (19,727 houses)
  • 14% of all houses had an EPC within E-G (9,206 houses)
• Find out more via Help in Preston - Energy Efficiency Home Upgrade Grants or Preston City Council - Energy Efficiency