Chichester residents and landlords can apply for up to £10,000 of home energy efficiency funding

Last year, Chichester District Council announced that it had secured Government funding to help residents keep warm and save money through improved insulation; air source heat pumps; and solar PV panels. Funding under the scheme is available until the end of March this year and people are being reminded to check to see whether they are eligible and apply as soon as possible by visiting: www.warmerhomes.org.uk or calling: 0800 038 5737

To be eligible, an applicant’s household income has to be £30,000 or less, or they need to be in receipt of a means-tested benefit. The applicant’s home must also have an Energy Performance Certificate of E, F, or G (with limited funding for EPC D rated properties). People can check their rating at: www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate

People who rent privately should speak to their landlord, who will be required to make a financial contribution and give consent for the improvements. Landlords looking to improve their properties through this scheme are required to seek their tenants’ consent.

“Almost £850,000 of funding has already been awarded for the benefit of residents in the Chichester District over recent years to help make their homes more energy efficient, and I’d urge anyone who thinks that they may be eligible to benefit from the current round of funding to apply as soon as possible,” says Cllr Penny Plant, Cabinet Member for the Environment and Chichester Contract Services at Chichester District Council.

“Making your home as energy efficient as possible can have a huge impact on both the environment and your energy bill. Whether you’re eligible for this funding or not, it’s worth mentioning that there are lots of other things that you can do to increase the energy efficiency of your home — these will not only save you money but will also help our local environment. Even small DIY measures, such as fitting a hot water cylinder with an insulation jacket can save you £20 a year in heating and 150kg of carbon dioxide.

“As part of our Supporting You campaign to highlight the range of help available to those struggling with the current cost of living pressures, we have summarised a number of tips and schemes to help people save money on their household bills. Visit our website for videos, Q&As and advice: www.chichester.gov.uk/helpwithhouseholdbills.”Helping residents and landlords to make their properties more energy efficient is just one of the actions that the council is taking to help tackle the effects of climate change in the Chichester District.

Penny adds: “We are already making great strides with the projects outlined within our Climate Emergency Action Plan. From investing in electric refuse collection vehicles and working to improve the energy efficiency within council buildings, to safeguarding a series of wildlife corridors across the district and increasing tree planting within the district, the council is progressing a number of major projects to help reduce carbon emissions within its own work and across the district over the coming months and years. We’ve put together a video highlighting some of the many actions that we’ve been taking, and you can view this here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmNH9_2g4SY&t=34s.”

Further information on the work that the council is doing on climate change, as well energy saving tips, can be found at: www.chichester.gov.uk/climatechange

To see whether you are eligible for grant funding to make your home more energy efficient, and to apply, visit: www.warmerhomes.org.uk or call: 0800 038 5737.