Discount and Energy Efficiency Grant Schemes
If your home has inadequate heating or is lacking insulation, the Council may be able to assist through grant funded schemes. These schemes are focused on helping residents on a low income with a vulnerability to living in a cold home due to age/health conditions or in receipt of certain benefits.
For more information please email energy@dover.gov.uk, or call 01304 872414.
The type of measure and the amount of financial assistance available for qualifying households is dependent on the results of surveys of your property.
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a Government obligation on the largest energy suppliers to help fuel poor and vulnerable households to reduce the cost of heating their home, with energy efficiency measures. Government have confirmed that this scheme will run until 2026. The Council can refer eligible households into this scheme. Measures and the amount of funding will be determined by a home survey carried out by the contractor. The scheme focus is on those in receipt of certain benefits on a low income and in fuel debt, the eligibility criteria is set out under DDC Statement of Intent Version 1 (1st September 2023).
The Great British Insulation Scheme extends support to a wider range of households who live in the least energy efficiency homes EPC D and below (to check your EPC please visit Find an energy certificate - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)) and in Council Tax bands A-D (to check your Council Tax band please visit Check your Council Tax band - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)). This scheme is for insulation measures such as loft and cavity wall insulation. The cost may be covered in full, however a financial contribution may be required from the resident depending on the measure and any property issues.
Dover District Council is working with Dartford Borough Council to deliver Home Upgrade Grant 2 (HUG2) grant funding to owner occupied households in the district *That do not use a gas boiler as the main heating system, to provide energy efficiency upgrades and clean heating systems.
The Home Upgrade Grant 2 is available for households in receipt of certain benefits or on a low-income.
To be eligible both of the following criteria must be met and evidenced:-
- . The property’s Energy Performance Certificate must be D, E, F or G rated. Check your EPC rating here. If your property does not have an EPC, this can be carried out as part of the scheme, providing the household meets the income criteria below.
- . The household must meet one of the following:
- The property is located in an economically deprived postcode area (based on data drawn from the Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2019) or,
- In receipt of means-tested benefits (including all benefits except Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance) or,
- Have an annual gross household income below £31,000.
Some of the eligible measures include:
Cavity wall insulation
External wall insulation
Loft insulation including top ups
Air source heat pumps
Solar photovoltaics (please note we are currently unable to fund Solar Battery Storage)
Please note that grant conditions require a fabric first approach to be adopted, therefore insulation measures will be prioritised before renewables.
Further information is available through the Government’s Eligibility Checker, Apply for help to improve a home with no gas boiler (Home Upgrade Grant) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk), or by email ( energy@dover.gov.uk) or phone 01304 872414.
The Domestic RHI is now closed to new applicants (1 April 2022), and is being replaced by the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS).
If you are already accredited for Domestic RHI, the support for accredited installations will not be affected by this closure, providing you continue to meet all your ongoing obligations under the scheme rules. The Duration of your RHI payments will remain the same and will be in line with your date of accreditation.
You can find out more about your ongoing obligations in Chapter 3 of the Domestic RHI: Essential Guide.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) is a Government funded scheme that will provide grants to encourage property owners to install low carbon heating systems such as heat pumps. These grants will help overcome the upfront cost of low carbon heating technologies.
Current grants are available for:
- £7,500 towards an air source heat pump
- £7,500 towards a ground source heat pump (including water source heat pumps and those on shared ground loops)
- £5,000 towards a biomass boiler.
The scheme is open to domestic and small non-domestic properties in England and Wales. It will run from 2022 to 2025.
Please click here for more information about the scheme.
Government funded. If you were born on or before 25th September 1957 you could get between £250 and £600 to help you pay your heating bills. This is known as a ‘Winter Fuel Payment’.
The amount you'll get includes your ‘pensioner cost of living payment’. This is between £150 and £300. You will get this extra amount in winter 2023 to 2024. This is in addition to any Cost of Living Payment you get with your benefit or tax credits.
The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a one-off discount of £150 on your electricity bill (usually between October and March). You should automatically qualify if on 13 August 2023 you were getting the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, your electricity supplier is part of the scheme, and your name (or partner’s) was on the bill. You should receive a letter by early January 2024, if not and you think you’re eligible, you will need to contact the Warm Home Discount Scheme Helpline on 0800 030 9322 before the 29th February 2024.
You may also qualify if you’re on a low income/ get certain means-tested benefits. Please visit Warm Home Discount Scheme: If you’re on a low income in England and Wales - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) for more information and qualifying criteria.
You may be able to get the discount on your gas bill instead if your supplier provides you with both gas and electricity and you’re eligible. Contact your supplier to find out.
The discount will not affect your Cold Weather Payment or Winter Fuel Payment.
You may get a Cold Weather Payment if you’re in receipt of certain benefits or support for Mortgage Interest. If you are eligible, you will get these payments automatically. Payments are made when your local temperature is either recorded as, or forecast to be, an average of zero degrees Celsius or below over 7 consecutive days.
You’ll get a payment of £25 for each 7-day period of very cold weather between 1 November 2023 and 31 March 2024. Payments should be received within 14 working days into the same bank/ building society as your benefit payments.
The Priority Services Register (PSR) is a free service provided by suppliers and network operators (UK Power Networks, SGN) to customers in need (each supplier and network maintain their own register). The PSR is available to residents who are of pensionable age, disabled or chronically sick, have a long-term medical condition, have a hearing or visual impairment or additional communication needs, are in a vulnerable situation. To be added to the Priority Services Register contact your energy supplier/ network provider
The Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS) is launching a Cold Weather Priority (CWP) Initiative for the off-grid sector this October. This initiative has been developed to identify those most at risk and ensure delivery to these customers can be prioritised during periods of extreme cold, or fuel shortages. Check if your local supplier is involved visit cold weather priority or contact your nearest Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS) member – find your nearest supplier.
A new fund to help vulnerable customers who may be struggling financially or need additional help in some way, such as with repairs in the home or white goods.
- Up to 50% one-year bill reduction for customers who have hit temporary hard times.
- Debt write-off of up to £2,000 for customers who have managed to get back on track with payments but will never be able to repay their debt.
- Grant of up to £1,000 to make improvements to a customer’s home (this might be the purchase of white goods that a customer cannot afford to replace, repairs to heating or water systems that they cannot afford, etc.)
Email: cs_affordabilityteam@southernwater.co.uk
Call: Southern Water Affordability Team on 0800 027 0800
Some utility companies offer help to customers who are struggling to pay their energy bills. See if your energy provider can offer you some help: -
Dover District Council has extended its successful town centre business grants scheme to help small businesses who want to reduce their carbon footprint, become more energy efficient, and cut their costs. Small businesses with up to 10 employees can benefit from a Green Energy Grant for up to 50% of their project costs, up to £10,000.
Contact us
Tel: 01304 872414
Email: energy@dover.gov.uk