Issued: 27 November 2023

Lower income households could save between £220 and £400 a year on energy bills with the support of South Hams District Council.

The Council is helping households across the District improve the energy efficiency of their home and is encouraging residents to check whether they are eligible for an upgrade to their current heating systems and insulation.

The Council have been awarded £1.8 million of funding by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to improve the energy efficiency of 100 homes across South Hams by March 2025. The Home Upgrade Grant (HUG2) project is being delivered in partnership with South Dartmoor Community Energy.

National Energy Action’s Fuel Poverty Awareness Day is on Thursday 30 November. It’s been two years since the energy crisis first began with 6.3 million UK households currently in fuel poverty.

The improvements will help lower income households whose homes are in most need of upgrading. They will also help address climate change issues, one of the Council’s top priorities.

Residents who can benefit will have a combined gross household income of less than £31k each year, and are also living in the most poorly performing properties as measured by their Energy Performance (EPC) (D-G properties): and are not heated from the gas grid.

Eligible residents will benefit from a solution for the whole home. This would start with improving the fabric of the home first – increasing insulation, such as exterior wall, cavity wall or loft, and then low-carbon heating such as heat pumps.  Homes will be surveyed, and improvements will be designed specifically for each property’s needs.

Those living in private rented properties can also benefit from the scheme.  Landlords could receive up to two-thirds of the costs of improvements if their properties (EPC) and their tenants (gross annual household income) are eligible.

The council is working with South Dartmoor Community Energy who will be providing retrofit support services. This includes helping identify eligible applicants and supporting them through the process.

Households who think they may be eligible for the scheme can find out more at www.southhams.gov.uk/hug2

Councillor Denise O’Callaghan, Exec Member for Housing at South Hams District Council, said: "We are really pleased to share details of the HUG2 scheme and how it will help our residents across the District. This is a very important programme of work which will see the implementation of efficient and clean energy solutions to many people’s homes.

“One of our top priorities is acting in response to climate change: this project will help us on our journey to a greener South Hams, but we recognise that with one in five local households in fuel poverty we need to do much more.

“We will continue to lobby the Government for more funding to support our residents struggling with their energy bills.

“In the meantime we look forward to continuing our partnership with South Dartmoor Community energy to deliver these essential home improvements to those who need them most.”

Chris Bunce, Home Energy & Retrofit Advisor at South Dartmoor Community Energy said: “We are delighted to be involved in such an exciting scheme. With 1 in 5 UK households in fuel poverty, those living in draughty and inefficient homes have been greatly affected by the rising cost of energy. We’re pleased to be able to help 100 low-income households in the South Hams to lower their bills and lower the environmental impact of their homes.

“UK homes emit more carbon per year than our cars do, so retrofitting inefficient homes is crucial in tackling global warming.”

ENDS