WARM HOMES: LOCAL GRANT

What is the Warm Homes: Local Grant?

The Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG) is a energy efficiency grant scheme to be delivered by local authorities from 2025.

It will see energy performance upgrades and low carbon heating installed in low income private sector households in England with an EPC rating of D or below.

Measures can include insulation, solar panels and air source heat pumps, appropriate to the individual property. Installers must be Trustmark and/or MCS accredited and installations PAS2030:2023 compliant.

warmhomeslocalgrant_solar

Which Properties are Eligible?

Private sector properties in England, whether owner occupied or private rented, are eligible if they have an EPC rating of D or below.

Park homes are eligible (and are not capped at a proportion of the total bid), providing that they are a permanent residence and expected to remain inhabited for the duration of the measure guarantee period.

New build/self build properties not previously occupied are ineligible, as is social housing (except for in-fill purposes).  

Those already treated under LAD or HUG schemes are only eligible if the property can be brought to a C rating or is having low carbon heat installed.

Which Households are Eligible?

Households must be low income to qualify for the funding, determined via one of three pathways:

  • Pathway 1: Households which reside within Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) Income Deciles (ID) 1-2 areas
  • Pathway 2: Households which can demonstrate receipt of a specified means tested benefit or that they are eligible via route 2 of ECO Flex.
  • Pathway 3: Households with an annual gross income below £36,000 or the ‘after housing costs’ threshold in line with our published equivalisation tables (which are dependent on household composition).

How much Funding is Available?

The total amount of funding allocated to WH:LG will be announced as part of the forthcoming spending review.

Per property, £15k is available for energy performance upgrades and £15k for low carbon heating. Cost caps can be averaged across a project and must be met by project closure.

Owner occupiers are not required or expected to make any contributions to the cost of upgrades.

Private rented sector landlords may receive one home fully funded per landlord, with a 50% contribution required for any additional homes upgraded. Tenants are not required or expected to make any contributions to the cost of upgrades.

Local authorities can also claim admin and ancillary costs (up to 15% of total project spend) for resourcing, procurement, specialist advice, searching for eligible homes, signing up households, validating and assessing homes and agreeing a measure package.

Funding from other schemes (such as ECO) can be used on the same property but not on the same measure.

When does the Competition Open?

The guidance document has now been published and includes information on scheme design, delivery model and eligible measures. The expression of interest window is expected to open in October 2024.

Once the expression of interest window opens, all eligible local authorities who complete an EOI form will be allocated funding to participate in the scheme.

The delivery window opens on 1st April 2025 with the scheme set to run for between 3 and 5 years (to be confirmed following the upcoming Spending Review).

What Should We Be Doing Now?

As part of the initial expression of interest, local authorities will be asked to outline their project (including any consortia members), their high-level plans for procurement, resourcing and mobilisation, plus their past performance on previous schemes.

Cornerstone has delivered multiple HUG and LAD schemes comprising a range of measures and has significant expertise in identifying suitable properties, supporting marketing and engagement activity, developing funding applications and delivering schemes as part of a turnkey solution.

Our direct delivery model makes us highly competitive and allows us to guarantee resource for your project.

Contact us today to discuss your plans and see how we can help, or visit our website for case studies of our previous projects.

warmhomeslocalgrant_home

Tel: 07753 433832
Email: rebecca@cornerstonelimited.co.uk

WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS SAY...

01379 853 613

enquiries@cornerstonelimited.co.uk
cornerstonelogo_new2024_footer(2)
Website Terms & Privacy Policy
Registered Office: Cornerstone (East Anglia) Limited, Unit 2-4, Fuller Road, Harleston, Norfolk, IP20 9EA.
Registered No.05117129. Registered in England and Wales.