
Cost of living crisis
If you are struggling to pay your energy bills, you should speak to your energy supplier in the first instance.
You can also contact BANES Welfare Support to find out if there is any current financial support for people struggling to pay bills here:
https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/apply-welfare-support
If you live in a Curo home, Curo are offering support to their tenants via this link:
https://www.curo-group.co.uk/costofliving/
Citizens advice also have a webpage dedicated to energy bills advice here:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/get-help-with-the-cost-of-living/
You can also refer to our ‘cost of living crisis’ webpages on the Bath and North East Somerset website.

Grants
If you want to make energy-saving improvements to your home, you may be able to get some help to cover the costs through grants and loans which may be available.
There are a number of energy-related home improvement grant schemes currently available for Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) residents on low incomes:
Bright Green Homes
The funding is available through the government's Home Upgrade Grant Scheme and is open to residents living in the BANES area who also meet the following eligibility criteria:
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Currently on Electric, Oil, LPG or Solid Fuel heating (homes with gas central heating are not eligible)
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Household income must be below £31,000 per year (unless your postcode is in a specific area – see below*)
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An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D, E, F or G. You can check yours at www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate
*Please note if your postcode is in deciles 1,2 or 3 on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation list you do not need to meet the annual household income cap. You can check this here.
The funding is to help homeowners and private renters improve the energy efficiency of their homes via a wide range of measures. Residents who are eligible for funding could have a wide range of energy saving measures installed, including insulation, solar panels, heat pumps, glazing and doors. All measures are subject to a satisfactory survey and funding limits.
Park Homes Insulation Grant
Funding is also available through the government's Home Upgrade Grant Scheme to help improve the insulation of park homes. This is open to residents living in the BANES area who also meet the following eligibility criteria:
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Park homes manufactured before 2015 and of a timber and board construction
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Household income £31,000 or below
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The park home must be off mains-gas central heating and heated with an alternative fuel e.g. oil, LPG, coal or electric
The funding is to help park home residents make their homes warmer and cheaper to run through the installation of insulation measures. All measures are subject to a satisfactory property assessment and funding limits.
To apply, please click here to send us an email with your name and address. We'll then send you a questionnaire which we'll need you to complete to check your eligibility.
Affordable Warmth Grant
The funding is fully committed for this year however is expected to be available from April 2024 for residents in the BANES area who meet the following eligibility criteria:
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Household income must be below £30,000 per year
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An EPC rating of D, E, F or G
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Owner-occupiers only
The affordable warmth grant is a smaller amount of money available to cover measures such as loft and cavity wall insulation and repairs to heating and windows. All measures are subject to a satisfactory survey and funding limits.

Other support
Extra support with heating bills and keeping warm
If you are disabled or over 65 years of age you can get specialist, fuel poverty advice from the Home Energy Team at the Centre for Sustainable Energy, a charity in Bristol. Contact a specialist CSE advisor at 0800 082 2234 or home.energy@cse.org.uk
Cold weather payment
Check your eligibility at www.gov.uk/cold-weather-payment/how-to-claim
Warm homes discount
You may be eligible for a discount on your electricity bill see www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme

Loans
Lendology
For a low-cost loan at 4.2% for energy-related home improvements see below and contact Lendology direct via their website www.lendology.org.uk
A low-cost Energy Loan can be used to fund solar PV, low carbon heating and other renewable energy installations as well as insulation measures. It is for owner-occupiers and landlords for B&NES homes.
After obtaining approval from Lendology you can choose your own contractors* to carry out the work who can be paid directly once the completion of work is confirmed.
An Energy Loan from Lendology can be used to help spread the cost of installing energy-saving improvements over time.
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Loans from £500 - £15,000.
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Repayment term of between 6 months to 15 years.
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Fixed interest rate throughout the term of the loan and typical 4.2% APR
*All low carbon heating and PV contractors must be MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) certified
www.microgenerationcertification.org
A low-cost Energy Loan can be used to fund solar PV, low carbon heating and other renewable energy installations as well as insulation measures. It is for owner-occupiers and landlords for B&NES homes.
After obtaining approval from Lendology you can choose your own contractors* to carry out the work who can be paid directly once the completion of work is confirmed.
An Energy Loan from Lendology can be used to help spread the cost of installing energy-saving improvements over time.
-
Loans from £500 - £15,000.
-
Repayment term of between 6 months to 15 years.
-
Fixed interest rate throughout the term of the loan and typical 4.2% APR
*All low carbon heating and PV contractors must be MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) certified
www.microgenerationcertification.org

WE Care Home Improvements helps people over 60 and disabled people of all ages in the area. Eligible residents can get extra support with:
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making a grant, Lendology loan or planning application
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repairs using their handy person service including
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small jobs e.g. loft clearance leaking pipes, unblocking gutters, replacing curtains and light bulbs; and larger jobs e.g. dealing with rising damp, heating repairs
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a loan of plug-in heaters if central heating breaks down
WE Care Home Improvements is a not-for-profit organisation. There may be a charge for some services but it is subsidised by Bath & North East Somerset Council to make them low cost or free in some cases.
Contact WE Care Home Improvements for more information: Phone 0300 323 0700, email info@wecr.org.uk or visit www.wecr.org.uk

Extra help
If you are disabled or over 65 years of age you can get specialist advice to help with managing your heating costs from the Home Energy Team at the Centre for Sustainable Energy, a charity in Bristol.
How it works:
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Eligible households can get extra support with energy bills, home insulation and heating, income maximisation and lots more.
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Contact the Home Energy Team to find out more
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Phone 0800 082 2234 or email home.energy@cse.org.uk