Written by Kate Hallewell
Ashford Borough Council is offering funds that can help residents save money on their utility bills. Residents who are struggling with an energy bill should take advantage of this opportunity and apply for ECO grants today!
The Ashford Borough Council makes it easy for residents to have their heating systems upgraded and save on energy bills by providing ECO grants.
1. What is Local Authority Flexible Energy or LA Flex?
2. What grants are available?
The types of grants available to residents living in the Ashford Borough Council area include:
- Boiler grants
- Cavity wall insulation grants
- External wall insulation grants
- First time central heating grants
- Internal wall insulation grants
- Loft Insulation
- Roof Insulation
- Smart thermostat grants
- Underfloor insulation grants
Boiler grants are expected to be removed from the grant scheme in the next phase so you should apply for this grant as soon as possible.
3. Who is eligible for grants?
The benefits of the program extend to all three groups: homeowners, renters and tenants. The easiest way to see if you are eligible is to use our eligibility checker here.
Eligibility
There are 6 ways to qualify for a grant:
1. Receiving a qualifying benefit
2. Receiving Child Benefit and meeting income rules
3. Income-based eligibility (for households that earn less than £31,000 per year)
4. Vulnerable eligibility
5. Health-related eligibility
6. Bespoke targeting
This route to eligibility applies where a member of the household receives or has received a 'qualifying benefit'. If the benefit isn't a current claim (for example for households where they have gone back to work after the pandemic) providing the benefit has been claimed at some point within the last 12 months, the household will still be eligible for a grant.
Qualifying benefits include:
- Child Tax Credit
- Employment & Support Allowance (Income Based) - Income Support
- Housing Benefit
- Jobseekers Allowance (Income Based)
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
- Pension Credit Savings Credit
- Universal Credit
- Working Tax Credit
Note if you receive any of the following benefits you could qualify later in the scheme (or through the ECO4 Flex routes). We advise anyone claiming the following benefits to register for updates so you are the first to know when these benefits are accepted.
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer's Allowance
- Constant Attendance Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- War Pensions Mobility Supplement
If you receive Child Benefit you could be eligible for the scheme but unlike the qualifying benefits above they would need to meet an additional income criteria.
The Child Benefit income criteria depends on the number of children in the household and also whether the claim is a single or joint claim.
The income limits are as follows:
Single parents
1 Child – £19,900
2 Children – £24,800
3 Children – £29,600
4+ Children – £34,500
Parents in a couple
1 Child – £27,500
2 Children – £32,300
3 Children – £37,200
4+ Children – £42,000
(figures updated to Ofgem’s Administration Consultation released on 13 June 2022)
If you are eligible through the Child Benefit route you should apply as soon as you can. The Government's Green Homes Grant excluded Child Benefit recipients so potentially this eligibility route could be removed later in the the scheme.
To be eligible through the income-based route your annual household income will need to be under £31,000. You will need to provide evidence such as bank statements and income information to confirm eligibility.
This is an ECO4 Flex route so it requires the applicants council to have published a Statement of Intent and to issue eligibility declarations.
Vulnerable people can access grants if they meet two of the following criteria (1 & 3 can’t be used together):
1. Lives in a Lower Super Output Area
2. Receives Council Tax Rebate (excluding for single person discounts)
3. Householder has a disability, mental health condition, is over 65, school children or under 16 and pregnant women.
4. Receives free school meals due to a low income
5. Supported by a Council scheme described in a Statement of Intent
6. Households referred by a Citizen’s advice as struggling to pay gas and electricity bills
7. Households in energy debt
A medical practitioner will need to complete a referral form to confirm eligibility.
This is an ECO4 Flex route so it requires the applicants council to have published a Statement of Intent and to issue eligibility declarations.
People with health conditions that are made worse by living in a cold home qualify.
These include:
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Immunosuppressed
- Mobility issues
- Respiratory conditions
A medical practitioner will need to complete a referral form to confirm eligibility.
This is an ECO4 Flex route so it requires the applicants council to have published a Statement of Intent and to issue eligibility declarations.
Installers can target specific groups of people living in fuel poverty. Installers will approach you if your property is eligible through this route.
Ashford Borough Council
If you DON'T claim benefits, the criteria for identifying households in fuel poverty in Ashford Borough Council are as follows:
Criteria for identifying ‘living in fuel poverty’, but not in receipt of benefits:
| Household Composition | Annual Household Income | Monthly Household Income Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Single person (18 years and over) | £10,000 | £835 |
| Two people | £15,000 | £1,250 |
| Two people and child(ren) | £20,000 | £1,666 |
- If a household has a low income under these thresholds, depending on composition, then it will be identified as being ‘low income’
- We will cross-reference data that we hold or can assess on Energy Performance Certificates/SAP ratings, pre-payment meters, expenditure on fuel, housing type/age/condition and heating type
- Low-income households living in energy inefficient housing will be identified in the private rented sector through enforcement activity under the Housing Act 2004
Criteria for identifying low income and vulnerability to cold:
- Older people (aged 60 or more and particularly those over 75)
- Young children (under the age of 5)
- People with respiratory conditions (in particular chronic pulmonary disease (COPD) and childhood asthma)
- People with cardiovascular conditions (e.g. ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease)
- People with mental health conditions (e.g. schizophrenia, bipolar disorder)
- Pregnant women
- People with addictions (e.g. substance misuse)
- People who have attended hospital due to a fall
- People with dementia
- People with neurobiological and related conditions (e.g. fibromyalgia, ME)
- People with a terminal illness
- People with autoimmune and immune deficiency diseases (e.g. from cancer treatment, HIV, MS)
- People with disabilities
- Haemoglobinopathies (sickle cell disease, thalassaemia)
- People with severe learning difficulties
- People who move in and out of homelessness
- Recent immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees (if living in private tenure)
| CT4 |
| ME13 |
| ME17 |
| TN17 |
| TN18 |
| TN23 |
| TN24 |
| TN25 |
| TN26 |
| TN27 |
| TN30 |
| Downs North |
| Charing |
| Downs West |
| Upper Weald |
| Rolvenden & Tenterden West |
| Biddenden |
| Victoria |
| Norman |
| Beaver |
| Singleton East |
| Stanhope |
| Washford |
| Singleton West |
| Roman |
| Weald Central |
| Park Farm South |
| Park Farm North |
| Kingsnorth Village & Bridgefield |
| Godinton |
| Repton |
| Aylesford & East Stour |
| Willesborough |
| Highfield |
| Mersham, Sevington South with Finberry |
| Conningbrook & Little Burton Farm |
| Furley |
| Bockhanger |
| Bybrook |
| Kennington |
| Goat Lees |
| Wye with Hinxhill |
| Bircholt |
| Saxon Shore |
| Weald South |
| Isle of Oxney |
| Weald North |
| Tenterden St Michael's |
| Tenterden North |
| Tenterden South |
Eligibility does not mean assurance for the grant, for more information please read the full Statement of Intent.
5. How much could you get?
The amount of money you’ll receive for your grant will depend on a lot. The biggest factor in this calculation is how much heating your home needs now because it can let us approximate what to expect if there are installers nearby to do the installations.
The grants are currently available as follows (subject to survey and meeting eligibility rules):
- Boiler grants - this could give you 25% - 75% off the RRP of installing a new boiler
- Cavity wall insulation grants - up to 100% of the installation cost
- External wall insulation grants - up to 100% of the installation cost (only available where electric is the main heating source)
- First time central heating grants - 50-100% of the installation cost (propeties must not have previously had central heating)
- Internal wall insulation grants- up to 100% of the installation cost (only available where electric is the main heating source)
- Loft Insulation - up to 100% of the installation cost (usually only available where electric is the main heating source but in some areas loft insulation is available for gas properties)
- Roof Insulation - up to 100% of the installation cost (usually only available where electric is the main heating source but in some areas roof insulation is available for gas properties where it is installed alongside a new boiler)
- Smart thermostat grants - up to 100% of the cost but only available through some installers
- Underfloor insulation grants - up to 100% of the installation cost but usually only installed alongside another measure like a boiler upgrade
The grant is a good deal for installation costs and will save you money in the long run. It’s paid directly to Registered Installer, so there are no worries about repayment or interest rates! The installer should make sure they’re clear on what funding options are available before quoting them as part of your total project cost – otherwise, it may be more than expected at first glance.
Ashford Borough Council flexible energy (LA Flex) rules are detailed in this Statement of Intent
A full list of all local authority flexible energy rules can be found on the gov.uk website
Apply for a grant
Check eligibility for grants
Fill in the short form to see if you are eligible for Government grants.