Written by Kate Hallewell
Corby Borough Council makes it possible for residents to receive ECO grants by offering flexible energy policies that allow anyone interested in installing insulation or upgrading heating on their property. These may be relevant if you’re looking!
1. What is Local Authority Flexible Energy or LA Flex?
The Corby Borough Council has just released the new rules for the Local Authority Flexible Energy program which offers a great way to keep your home warm this winter. Apply now before it’s too late and start saving on bills!
The council says these grants are available so make sure you check it out, there’s help with insulation or heating upgrades available in your area.
2. What grants are available?
The types of grants available to residents living in the Corby 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
3. Who is eligible for grants?
Are you renting, owning your home, or living in a housing association? The Government is providing help with insulating homes. 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.
Corby Borough Council
If you DON'T claim benefits, until Corby Borough Council have published a statement of intent other applications cannot be submitted
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5. How much could you get?
The amount of money you could receive for the grant depends on a range of factors but it most cases the least efficient your home is the more grant funding you’ll receive.
The grant scheme pays for 100% of the cost of home improvements and unlike other schemes it is generally all paid for or not viable. So for the properties that do qualify the grants are fully-funded. If a property isn’t fully-funded applicants can pay the shortfall but in most cases the grants are 100% free if the property qualifies.
The amount you’ll get depends on the annual bill savings that can be achieved through upgrading the home.
The grants are currently available as follows (subject to survey and meeting eligibility rules):
- Non-condensing boiler upgrade grants - 100% funding for upgrading your boiler
- High heat retention storage heater upgrade with solar PV grants - 100% funding to upgrade inefficient storage heaters and to install Solar PV
- First time central heating grants - 100% of the installation cost (properties must not have previously had central heating) - if the property had mains gas prior to 31 March 2022 central heating with mains gas can be installed but if there wasn't a gas meter in place then central heating with a heat pump can be installed
- Air source heat pump grants- up to 100% of the installation cost (only available where electric, solid fuel heating or other inefficient heating is the main heating source)
- Loft Insulation - up to 100% of the installation cost (usually only available alongside other heating grants)
- Roof Insulation - up to 100% of the installation cost (usually only available alongside other heating grants)
- Wall insulation grants (either cavity wall or internal wall insulation) - up to 100% of the installation cost (usually only available alongside other heating grants)
To see if your property is eligible use our free grant checker.
Corby Borough Council flexible energy (LA Flex) rules
Apply for a grant
Check eligibility for grants
Fill in the short form to see if you are eligible for Government grants.