Homes in Derby are set to benefit from £1.6m of funding over the next three years via the Governments Warm Homes: Local Grant Scheme. The scheme offers free energy improvements to low-income, privately owned homes with an Energy Performance Certificate rating of D-G.
To launch the scheme, the Council and their delivery partner, YES Energy Solutions held an event at Weston Park Avenue Park Homes site. The event gave residents the opportunity to speak to Council Officers and YES Energy Solutions about the support they can receive and get signed up to have their home retrofitted.
The scheme provides up to £30,000 per property to retrofit renewable energy systems like solar panels, insulation measures and more efficient heating. Combined, these measures could reduce energy bills by hundreds of pounds every year and improve the health of residents by keeping homes warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
To help deliver these improvements at the Park Homes site and other eligible properties across the city, Derby City Council has exclusively procured YES Energy Solutions, a not-for-profit organisation who have already delivered hundreds of successful energy efficiency upgrades across the city through Energy Company Obligation (ECO) 4 Flex, Boiler Upgrade Scheme and Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS).
No other organisations have been approved as managing agents for ECO 4 Flex in the city. Residents who are approached by companies about this scheme, ECO4 Flex or GBIS should contact YES Energy Solutions. ECO4 upgrades are managed directly between residents, their installer, energy supplier and Ofgem. Residents should do their own checks before approving work under ECO4.
Councillor Carmel Swan, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainability commented:
There are so many benefits to improving the energy efficiency of your home. From lower bills to better health and even increasing the value of your property. The Warm Homes Grant scheme will support households most in need of these improvements to their homes.
The Warm Homes Grant scheme also directly contributes to a number of actions in our Climate Change Action Plan, supporting not just individual residents but the city as a whole to adapt to and prepare for the impacts of climate change.
Councillor Shiraz Khan, Cabinet Member for Housing, Property and Regulatory Services added:
We’re really pleased to be working alongside YES Energy Solutions on this project over the next three years. They’ve got a brilliant track record for supporting our residents to improve their homes.
The benefits of this project go far beyond reduced bills. We know that warmer homes reduce stress around energy bills and can make residents healthier.
Amelia Price, Project Manager at YES Energy Solutions commented:
We are proud to be continuing our long-standing partnership with Derby City Council, now working on the Warm Home Local Grant scheme. The partnership encompasses our core values and mission, supporting residents in reducing both their energy bills and carbon footprint through providing sustainable long-term energy efficiency upgrades, alongside tailored advice on changing household behaviours to maximise both financial and energy savings for the customer.
We take pride in our work that strides towards providing customers with warmer, more comfortable homes that they can continue to enjoy.