Government Unveils Online Tool for Personalised Energy Efficiency Tips

Homeowners and landlords can receive personalised tips for improving their property’s energy efficiency, alongside information about their eligibility for the Green Home Grants Scheme, through a government website unveiled Friday.

The revamped Simply Energy Advice website lets homeowners complete a five-minute survey to determine how efficient their houses already are and to identify potential places for improvement. 

Suggestions—ranging from cavity wall insulation to draught-proofing windows—are listed along with the investment required, the savings they could yield each year and whether they can be funded through the Green Home Grants scheme.

The website also provides users with lists of local accredited tradespeople who can carry out the suggested work.

The £2 billion Green Home Grants scheme, part of the government’s coronavirus relief package, will give homeowners and landlords vouchers of up to £5,000 to meet at least two-thirds of the cost of efficiency upgrades, including the installation of heat pumps, insulation, double or triple glazing, energy-efficient doors and hot water system thermostats. The poorest households can qualify for grants of up to £10,000 to fund the work.

The government estimates that the scheme could improve the energy efficiency of 600,000 homes, saving those households up to £600 a year on their energy bills and up to 700kg in carbon emissions. It will also support the creation of 100,000 skilled jobs across the country.

The scheme won’t open to applicants until late September but the website will give interested Britons information now about improvements it could help fund.

Business and Energy Secretary Alok Sharma encouraged people to check out the new website: "From today [last Friday] people will have the chance to see how this scheme could help save money on their energy bills and connect to trusted local tradespeople across the country, so they are ready for the scheme's launch in September.”

Mike Thornton, chief executive of the Energy Savings Trust, welcomed the launch of the website and the scheme. "The Green Homes Grant scheme is a great opportunity to get a grant to cut energy bills,” he said. "Now the website is live, we urge people to go online to create a personalised plan for energy efficiency in their home as a first step to getting their grant."

Lauren Smith

Lauren Smith has worked as a journalist and copywriter for most of the last decade, covering technology, energy, and consumer rights, in the US and UK.

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