Assistance and Grants
If you’re struggling to keep your home warm or to afford your energy bills, you might be able to take advantage of certain grants and support offered by the government and energy suppliers.
Energy Company Obligation (ECO)
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a government energy efficiency scheme to help reduce carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty. There are two streams to this funding:
The Affordable warmth obligation
This provides help for people who might be vulnerable to the effects of living in a cold home, like pensioners or young children. You are eligible under this aspect of ECO if you receive at least one of the following benefits and satisfy the relevant income requirements, where applicable:
- Income-related employment and support allowance (ESA)
- Income-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA)
- Income support
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
- Tax Credits (on certain conditions)
- Universal Credit (on certain conditions)
There is also a Flexible Eligibility element. This allows the council to set criteria to direct assistance towards local private sector homes at risk of fuel poverty, but falling outside of the normal rules of ECO. Residents meeting the criteria, set out in Haringey's Statement of Intent (PDF, 260KB), can be assumed eligible by Energy Companies for ECO funded energy efficiency improvements.
For assistance to apply for this funding please contact Shine London.
Carbon emissions reduction obligation
Your energy supplier could help you financially with:
- Insulating solid walls that might need cladding on either the inside or outside (usually on older buildings)
- Cavity wall insulation for homes built after the 1930s
- Loft insulation
- Connections to district heating systems
- Double glazing
- Draught proofing
Contact the Energy Saving Advice Service in England (0300 123 1234) if you have questions about the scheme and on whether you are eligible.
SHINE London
Haringey has partnered with the SHINE London energy advice service to help residents keep well and warm and reduce the anxiety of paying for large fuel bills.
Referrals are accepted for any vulnerable resident but the following groups are particularly important:
- Those aged over 65
- Those with respiratory or cardiovascular disease
- Those with other long term limiting illness
- Low income families with children
- Households spending 10% or more of their income on energy
Following a discussion with a Shine London representative vulnerable residents can benefit from a number of services including:
- Advice on saving energy and grants available for heating and insulation
- Support with bills and energy debt
- 'Energy Doctor in the Home' home visiting service
- Benefit checks
- Falls assessments
- Telecare applications
- Fire safety checks (from London Fire Brigade)
- Home security checks (from the police)
- Air quality alerts for people with respiratory diseases (from airTEXT)
- Stop Smoking services
- London Taxicard
- And more
Contact SHINE
You can make a referral to Shine online by visiting the Shine website (external link).
Alternatively:
- Telephone: 0300 555 0195
- Email: contact@shine-london.org.uk
Warmer Homes - Mayor of London scheme
If you’re a London homeowner on benefits you may be eligible for a free boiler, insulation, double glazing or other improvements to help you heat your home more affordably.
Warmer Homes is Mayor Sadiq Khan’s £2.5m scheme to help Londoners stay warm and save on their energy bills.
It's first-come, first-served, so get your application in early to avoid disappointment. You can apply directly here (external link) or you can contact SHINE to refer you (see above for contact details).
Contact
For further information about grants and assistance please keep visiting these pages, or you can contact us:
- Email: affordablewarmth@haringey.gov.uk
- Tel: 020 8489 3489
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