Written by Kate Hallewell
South Northamptonshire Council offers a flexible energy policy that will allow you and your family the opportunity to install insulation or upgrade heating on any property in South Northamptonshire so long as it’s eligible. The rules published by this council provide helpful information for homeowners looking into ways they can save money through more efficient homes such as those who may need assistance with their home improvements!
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 South Northamptonshire 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 government is giving out grants to help with the cost of energy bills. This could be a life-changing event for you, so make sure your application meets all requirements and apply now! 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.
South Northamptonshire Council
If you DON'T claim benefits, the criteria for identifying households in fuel poverty in South Northamptonshire Council are as follows:
Criteria for South Northamptonshire Council eligible households
High Heat Costs
- Energy Performance Certificates with a rating of E, F or G
- Presence of prepayment meters, expenditure on fuel, housing type/age/condition such as park homes and non-traditional built homes, and heating types such as electrically heated homes, oil or LPG heating
- Low-income households living in energy inefficient housing will be identified in the private rented sector through enforcement activity under the Housing Act 2004 and where relevant; the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015
Vulnerability to the Cold
- Aged over 60, and particularly those over 75
- Children under 5 and pregnant mothers
- Respiratory disease (COPD, asthma)
- Cardiovascular disease (e.g. ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease)
- Moderate to severe mental illness (e.g. schizophrenia, bipolar disorder)
- Substance misusers
- Dementia
- Neurobiological and related diseases (e.g. fibromyalgia, ME)
- Cancer
- Limited mobility
- Haemoglobinopathies (sickle cell disease, thalassaemia)
- Severe learning disabilities
- Autoimmune and immunodeficiency diseases (e.g. lupus, MS, diabetes, HIV)
- Musculoskeletal conditions (incl. arthritis, limited mobility)
- Recently attended hospital due to a fall
- Personal circumstances will be taken into account
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Eligibility does not guarantee funding. For full details see the full Statement of Intent.
5. How much could you get?
The amount of the grant will depend on a range of factors. One big consideration is your heating, as it must be either existing or previous to qualify for an installation from the government program and company incentive programs put emphasis on this too, so make sure you tell them if there’s already installed. Other important information such as wall type and the number of bedrooms also come into play when calculating eligibility – but don’t worry installers will be happy to communicate everything from the start to finish!
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
If you live in a cold or hot area, your insulation needs may vary. You’ll be able to find out what type is best suited for where the temperature sits at thanks to our helpful staff here today! Don’t hesitate – just let them know that all eligible residents are given an opportunity of getting started with installation right away as soon as possible!
South Northamptonshire Council flexible energy (LA Flex) rules are detailed in this Statement of Intent
Apply for a grant
Check eligibility for grants
Fill in the short form to see if you are eligible for Government grants.