Written by Kate Hallewell
If you’re looking to install insulation or upgrade your heating system, then the rules from Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council might be a good place for information. The council has published their set of flexible energy policies which allow residents interested in applying for grants!
1. What is Local Authority Flexible Energy or LA Flex?
The Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council provides a convenient way to receive an eco-friendly, yet cost-effective solution. The eligibility rules have been published in their Statement of Intent and this post will explain what you need in order to make sure your application gets approved.
2. What grants are available?
The types of grants available to residents living in the Stockton-on-Tees 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?
A grant is available to help homeowners, renters and tenants with low income or who receive benefits. You’ll need a bit of qualification but it would be worth your time! 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.
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
If you DON'T claim benefits, the criteria for identifying households in fuel poverty in Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council are as follows:
Fuel Poverty
- Property EPC rating of E, F or G
- Net income of £30,000 or less AND less than £30,000 in savings of any kind
Vulnerable to Cold
- with a limiting long term or terminal illness
- with a disability
- who are 60 years or over
- who are dependent children of 16 or under; or under 20 and in full-time education or approved training
| DL2 |
| TS15 |
| TS16 |
| TS17 |
| TS18 |
| TS19 |
| TS2 |
| TS20 |
| TS21 |
| TS22 |
| TS23 |
| TS8 |
| Western Parishes |
| Yarm |
| Newtown |
| Ingleby Barwick West |
| Ingleby Barwick East |
| Eaglescliffe |
| Northern Parishes |
| Hartburn |
| Village |
| Stainsby Hill |
| Mandale and Victoria |
| Stockton Town Centre |
| Parkfield and Oxbridge |
| Norton South |
| Billingham South |
| Grangefield |
| Fairfield |
| Bishopsgarth and Elm Tree |
| Roseworth |
| Hardwick and Salters Lane |
| Norton North |
| Norton West |
| Billingham West |
| Billingham North |
| Billingham East |
| Billingham Central |
Eligibility does not guarantee funding. For full details see the full Statement of Intent.
5. How much could you get?
The amount of your grant will depend largely on the state or condition of your heating. The Ofgem rules place an emphasis on existing, previous heaters and other key information like wall type for determining eligibility; this can be used as a calculation tool by installers in order to provide funding value which provides them with funds so that you don’t have to pay costs upfront!
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 one-time payment that will be paid directly to the installer. Where contributions are required towards installation cost, they’ll quote prices upfront so there won’t be any surprises during installation!
The free survey determines how much funding is necessary for improvements and after that, we know exactly where our responsibilities lie without further confusion about who should pay what share on different types of work like this project too because it’s already determined by an accurate estimate based on all information given in advance
Stockton-on-Tees Borough 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.