What is the Affordable Warmth Scheme?
The Affordable Warmth Scheme is funded by the Department for Social Development to make your home warmer, buy healthier and more energy-efficient. The Affordable Warmth Scheme is for people who live in a an area targeted by their local council, prostate have an income of under £20,000 per annum and who own their home or rent it from a private landlord.
Who is eligible for assistance?
If you live in the Private Sector (in other words if you own your own home or if you rent from a Private Sector landlord) and have a total gross annual household income of less than £20,000, you may be entitled to help under the Scheme.
What Help is available?
There is a range of energy efficiency measures available under the Affordable Warmth Scheme.
The provision of measures will be prioritised as follows to maximise the energy efficiency gains from the measures provided:
Priority 1 – Insulation/Ventilation/Draughtproofing
- Installation or topping up of Loft Insulation to 275mm
- Roof/Loft/Eaves ventilation
- Provision of hot water cylinder jacket
- Draught proofing of doors/windows
- Installation of cavity wall insulation
- Removal and replacement of ineffective cavity wall insulation
Priority 2 – Heating
- Provision of natural gas or oil central heating where no central heating exists; conversion of solid fuel/LPG/economy 7 to natural gas or oil;
- Conversion of economy 7 to high efficiency electrical storage system;
- Boiler replacement/system upgrade for householders over 65, or who have a child under 16 years of age, or who receive disability living allowance and where an existing central heating boiler is at least 15 years old;
Priority 3 – Windows
- Replacement of single glazed windows;
- Repair or replacement of double glazed windows that are defective.
Priority 4 – Solid Wall Measures
- Provision of solid wall (internal/external) insulation.
Measures will be offered to successful applicants strictly in line with the prioritisation set out above. That means that your house will be inspected first of all to determine if any insulation measures are required. Then the inspection will consider if the existing heating in your house needs to be changed. You will only be offered help to repair/upgrade windows once it has been determined that your home does not need any insulation or heating measures. However, due to the cost of insulating solid wall properties, you will be permitted to complete other measures such as heating without having to complete solid wall insulation first.
If you are offered the opportunity to install measures from more than one priority group, you should complete the measures in line with the priority rating above. If you choose not to carry out any of the measures, you will not be allowed to transfer the allocated approval amount to other measures. You will forfeit that portion of your grant
How do I know what work I can do?
A surveyor from your local council will visit your home and ask you some questions to ensure that you are eligible for the Scheme. Your details will then be passed to the Housing Executive, who will arrange to have officers visit your home. They will need to see documentary proof that you own your home and that your income is less than £20,000 per year. They will also inspect your home to assess what energy efficiency measures your home needs.
After the visit from the Housing Executive and if you are entitled to help under the Scheme, you will be given a Schedule of Works which will identify the measures you are permitted to install along with a formal certificate of approval to start the works. You may not carry out any works without that approval.
Who can do the work?
You can appoint your own contractor such as Homeseal to carry out the work. If you do not know anybody who can do the work, the Housing Executive will be able to help you find someone.
How much money can I get?
The grant limit in the Affordable Warmth Scheme is £7,500. However, where the property is of solid wall construction and solid wall insulation measures are to be provided, the grant limit will increase to £10,000. Where the cost of providing measures exceeds the grant limit, you will still be able to avail of measures up to the grant limit and can contribute the balance of the costs.
Private Sector Tenants
If you rent your property from a private landlord, your landlord must:
- agree to the measures being installed in the property
- be registered with the Department’s Landlord Registration Scheme and
- make a contribution of 50% of the total cost of energy efficiency improvements to their property. Where works exceed the grant limit, the maximum payable will not exceed 50% of the grant limit
How do I apply?
-
This is a strictly targeted scheme. The Department has provided information to all of the new councils detailing the main fuel poverty concentrations within each council area.Councils will:
- make the initial contact with households considered to be most affected by fuel poverty and invite them to complete a short survey
- refer completed surveys to the Housing Executive and
- where a householder agrees, refer their details to the Social Security Agency’s ‘Make the Call’ team for a Benefit Entitlement Check to be completed
- Staff from the local councils will visit addresses in those areas over the next three years to help householders take part in the Scheme so you do not have to do anything. However, you can contact your local council directly to see if you might be eligible for assistance.
Contact us today
We can offer more information on grants, such as eligibility criteria, and can arrange a free energy survey to determine what insulation products and services could help you save money on your home heating bills. For more information please contact us on 028 7962 7474 or email info@homesealni.co.uk.
Homeseal are the leading installer of insulation products and services across Northern Ireland. Our highly trained staff offer a first class service at all times and can offer advice which can help you save energy now. Call us today to arrange a free energy survey!
What is the Affordable Warmth Scheme?
The Affordable Warmth Scheme is funded by the Department for Social Development to make your home warmer, buy healthier and more energy-efficient. The Affordable Warmth Scheme is for people who live in a an area targeted by their local council, prostate have an income of under £20,000 per annum and who own their home or rent it from a private landlord.
Who is eligible for assistance?
If you live in the Private Sector (in other words if you own your own home or if you rent from a Private Sector landlord) and have a total gross annual household income of less than £20,000, you may be entitled to help under the Scheme.
What Help is available?
There is a range of energy efficiency measures available under the Affordable Warmth Scheme.
The provision of measures will be prioritised as follows to maximise the energy efficiency gains from the measures provided:
Priority 1 – Insulation/Ventilation/Draughtproofing
- Installation or topping up of Loft Insulation to 275mm
- Roof/Loft/Eaves ventilation
- Provision of hot water cylinder jacket
- Draught proofing of doors/windows
- Installation of cavity wall insulation
- Removal and replacement of ineffective cavity wall insulation
Priority 2 – Heating
- Provision of natural gas or oil central heating where no central heating exists; conversion of solid fuel/LPG/economy 7 to natural gas or oil;
- Conversion of economy 7 to high efficiency electrical storage system;
- Boiler replacement/system upgrade for householders over 65, or who have a child under 16 years of age, or who receive disability living allowance and where an existing central heating boiler is at least 15 years old;
Priority 3 – Windows
- Replacement of single glazed windows;
- Repair or replacement of double glazed windows that are defective.
Priority 4 – Solid Wall Measures
- Provision of solid wall (internal/external) insulation.
Measures will be offered to successful applicants strictly in line with the prioritisation set out above. That means that your house will be inspected first of all to determine if any insulation measures are required. Then the inspection will consider if the existing heating in your house needs to be changed. You will only be offered help to repair/upgrade windows once it has been determined that your home does not need any insulation or heating measures. However, due to the cost of insulating solid wall properties, you will be permitted to complete other measures such as heating without having to complete solid wall insulation first.
If you are offered the opportunity to install measures from more than one priority group, you should complete the measures in line with the priority rating above. If you choose not to carry out any of the measures, you will not be allowed to transfer the allocated approval amount to other measures. You will forfeit that portion of your grant
How do I know what work I can do?
A surveyor from your local council will visit your home and ask you some questions to ensure that you are eligible for the Scheme. Your details will then be passed to the Housing Executive, who will arrange to have officers visit your home. They will need to see documentary proof that you own your home and that your income is less than £20,000 per year. They will also inspect your home to assess what energy efficiency measures your home needs.
After the visit from the Housing Executive and if you are entitled to help under the Scheme, you will be given a Schedule of Works which will identify the measures you are permitted to install along with a formal certificate of approval to start the works. You may not carry out any works without that approval.
Who can do the work?
You can appoint your own contractor such as Homeseal to carry out the work. If you do not know anybody who can do the work, the Housing Executive will be able to help you find someone.
How much money can I get?
The grant limit in the Affordable Warmth Scheme is £7,500. However, where the property is of solid wall construction and solid wall insulation measures are to be provided, the grant limit will increase to £10,000. Where the cost of providing measures exceeds the grant limit, you will still be able to avail of measures up to the grant limit and can contribute the balance of the costs.
Private Sector Tenants
If you rent your property from a private landlord, your landlord must:
- agree to the measures being installed in the property
- be registered with the Department’s Landlord Registration Scheme and
- make a contribution of 50% of the total cost of energy efficiency improvements to their property. Where works exceed the grant limit, the maximum payable will not exceed 50% of the grant limit
How do I apply?
-
This is a strictly targeted scheme. The Department has provided information to all of the new councils detailing the main fuel poverty concentrations within each council area.Councils will:
- make the initial contact with households considered to be most affected by fuel poverty and invite them to complete a short survey
- refer completed surveys to the Housing Executive and
- where a householder agrees, refer their details to the Social Security Agency’s ‘Make the Call’ team for a Benefit Entitlement Check to be completed
- Staff from the local councils will visit addresses in those areas over the next three years to help householders take part in the Scheme so you do not have to do anything. However, you can contact your local council directly to see if you might be eligible for assistance.
Contact us today
We can offer more information on grants, such as eligibility criteria, and can arrange a free energy survey to determine what insulation products and services could help you save money on your home heating bills. For more information please contact us on 028 7962 7474 or email info@homesealni.co.uk.
Homeseal are the leading installer of insulation products and services across Northern Ireland. Our highly trained staff offer a first class service at all times and can offer advice which can help you save energy now. Call us today to arrange a free energy survey!
