Bradford Council Home Upgrade Grants
There are a range of energy-efficiency grants for people living in Bradford and surrounding areas. Bradford Council has their own eligibility criteria that helps fund heating and insulation improvements to homes in Bradford. Check the eligibility requirements, what free home upgrades are available and how to apply.
What is the Energy Company Obligation?
Heating and insulation grants are available to Bradford residents as part of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO). The ECO grant scheme provides grants for heating and upgrades and insulation that will make the homes of low-income and/or vulnerable households more energy-efficient.
This scheme is different from the previous Green Homes Grant scheme that also provided funding for heating and insulation and renewable technology. The Green Homes Grant scheme ended in March 2021 where as the Energy Company Obligation will run until March 2026.
Under ECO, energy companies are obligated to make a full or partial contribution towards upgrades in your home. Very generous grants are available that will increase the energy-efficiency of your home and lower your energy bills. If you live in the Bradford Council area, check now to see what grants are available to you. In their statement of intent, Bradford City Council has identified households eligible for these grants.
What free home upgrades can Bradford residents get?
The ECO scheme is administered by Ofgem and they provide the framework for how funding is allocated. The amount of funding that you can get is based on the energy-efficiency improvements that can be made to your property. This means that the most inefficient homes often get the most funding. Your eligibility for home upgrades depends upon your present heating system, as the scheme rules place an emphasis on the existing energy rating and the improvements that can be made to the property.
If your home has a main heating source of gas, (for example, a mains gas boiler) you could get the following grants:
- Boiler grants
- Cavity wall insulation grants
- Loft Insulation (limited areas and only some property types)
- Roof Insulation (limited areas and only some property types)
- Under floor insulation grants (when installed alongside a boiler upgrade)
If your home is heated by electric, or if you don’t currently have any heating, you could be eligible for the following grants:
- Cavity wall insulation grants
- Electric storage heater grants
- External wall insulation grants
- First-time central heating grants
- Internal wall insulation grants
- Loft Insulation
- Roof Insulation
- Underfloor insulation grants
Who is eligible for grants in Bradford?
There are three main ways that you can be eligible for a grant in Bradford:
If you have received one of these qualifying benefits you’ll be eligible for the Energy Company Obligation. You will need to have received the benefit within the last 18 months at the point at which the grant is installed.
Qualifying benefits include:
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Child Tax Credit
- Constant Attendance Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) – income-based (not contribution-based ESA)
- Income Support
- Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
- Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) – income-based (not contribution-based JSA)
- Pension Guarantee Credit
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Severe Disablement Allowance
- Tax Credits (both Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit)
- Universal Credit
- War Pensions Mobility Supplement
- Working Tax Credit
If you receive one of these benefits, there are no other requirements and you’ll be eligible, regardless of income or assets owned. N.B. Some of these benefits are likely to be removed from the scheme from April 2022, under proposals for ECO4, the next stage of the scheme. We strongly recommend applying as soon as possible if you claim any of these benefits.
If you receive Child Benefit you could be eligible for the Energy Company Obligation. However, if your household only receives Child Benefit (and no other benefit) you’ll also need to meet additional income rules detailed at https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/eco3-child-benefit-self-declaration
You could also be eligible for the Energy Company Obligation if you meet Bradford Council’s Local Authority Flexible Energy rules. See section 4 (below) for more about these rules.
Bradford Council’s Local Authority Flexible Energy rules
Thanks to Local Authority Flexible Energy, households that don’t receive benefits can also access ECO grants. Each Local Authority can tailor energy efficiency eligibility rules to their residents and help them to access the grants. Most local authorities have rules that target vulnerable households at risk of fuel poverty, e.g. households with a high-cost home and a. low income.
Bradford Council’s criteria targets people living in Fuel Poverty, either due to the area in which they live or because they have high energy costs compared with their income. Households vulnerable to the cold are also allowed to access grants if they meet the income criteria.
Fuel Poverty eligibility in Bradford (area-based)
If you live in certain areas of Bradford, you’ll be eligible for grants under Bradford Council’s ‘area-based’ rule.
There are over 5000 postcodes included in Bradford Council’s ‘area-based’ rule and, if your property is in one of the identified areas, you will be eligible for grants. Contact us to check if your postcode is in a priority area. Council has decided that postcodes with an “Index of Multiple Deprivation” score of less than 15%, are eligible for grants.
If your property isn’t in one of the prioritised postcodes, you could still be eligible if you meet Bradford Council’s fuel poverty eligibility criteria because you have a low-Income and high-cost home.
Households will also be eligible for grants if they meet Bradford Council’s low-Income (stage 1) and high-cost (stage 2) criteria.
Stage 1: Low-income criteria in Bradford
- Gross household income of< £21,000
Stage 2: High-cost criteria in Bradford
- Property with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E, F or G
or
- Property EPC rating of D plus 1 characteristic of Fuel Poverty
Characteristics of Fuel Poverty include:
– Children under 16 in the household
– Residents that are over 70 in the household
– Properties that have solid walls or non-standard cavity walls, system-built walls
– Properties that are off the gas network
– Properties without a loft
or
- Property EPC rating of D plus a health condition made worse by cold
Health conditions defined by the council include:
– Cardiovascular conditions
– Respiratory conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and childhood asthma
– Mental health conditions
– Disabilities made worse by cold
– Terminal illness
– Suppressed immune systems including people undergoing cancer treatment or with HIV
What properties are eligible for grants?
Grants are available for all types of properties including flats, houses, bungalows, maisonettes and even park homes. The funding levels vary according to the type of property, the existing heating at the property and the insulation already installed.
In Bradford, 89% of properties are heated by mains gas so the majority of homes will fall under the ‘gas’ funding rules. Properties that are heated by gas have a lower funding rate.
For the estimated 10% or 18,584 properties in Bradford that have a main heating source of electric, these homes will be eligible for electric measures listed above and more generous funding. So, if electric heats your home, you are likely to receive the highest level of funding and it’s likely you’ll get the grants fully-funded.
- 1554 properties are heated by electric in Bradford South
- 3396 properties are heated by electric in Bradford East
- 6984 properties are heated by electric in Bradford West
- 3655 properties are heated by electric in Shipley
- 2995 properties are heated by electric in Keighley
If you are uncertain about the main source of heating for your property, you can search the Government’s database and download Energy Performance Certificates at https://www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate
Figures quoted are from Government Energy Performance data for certificates issued up to and including 31 March 2021.
How to apply for a grant
Applying for a grant is easy. You complete a short grant application form and answer a few questions about your property. This will help us identify what you could be entitled to.
Apply today at https://ecoproviders.co.uk/eco4-grant-application-form/
Frequently asked questions
What if I’m not eligible for these grants?
There are other options for grants for Bradford residents so you can still get funding for heating and insulation upgrades to your home. The Government’s assignment of rights option as part of the renewable heat incentive is a “no upfront costs” option to upgrade heating to renewable heating. There are also grants for EV car chargers if you have an electric car. Contact us for more information regarding what might be suitable for your property and your circumstances.
I need new windows. Are double glazing windows included?
Unfortunately, not at the moment, under the Energy Company Obligation but, hopefully, free window grants will be offered in future.
What other grants are available to Bradford Council residents?
Other grants are available to residents. These include Bradford business grants, such as the restart grants in Bradford or Bradford Council Disabled Facilities Grant. Additionally, Bradford’s Health and Safety Assistance Scheme can help to pay for repairs or improvements to your home. There is more information about these and other grants on the Bradford Council website.
Are boiler grants still available in Bradford?
Yes, boiler grants are available – but only for a few more months. If you are looking for a boiler grant we’d advise applying sooner rather than later as boilers aren’t expected to be readily available in the next phase of the scheme (from April 2022).
As a resident of Bradford, would you like to know more about grants for your home? We can help. Our friendly team is dedicated to helping homeowners find the best grant options to suit their needs. We’re also happy to answer any questions you may have.