More Home Energy Efficiency Schemes – presented by Annette Dunning, SCC.
The council’s new £3m fund for interest-free loans to residents wishing to undertake home energy efficiency upgrades that was mentioned in last month’s parish report is now active, and applications can now be made at https://www.lendology.org.uk/warm-home-suffolk-loan. Energy efficiency upgrades such as insulation, solar panels, batteries, glazing, or heat pumps are possible with loans from £2,000 to £15,000 to be repaid over a maximum of seven years at 0% interest.
A Suffolk Retrofit Assessment Voucher Scheme is also launching, funded by Suffolk Public Sector Leaders, whereby homeowners in Suffolk will be able to apply for a voucher that covers the cost of a professional retrofit assessment on their home property. These assessments are the first step towards making their home more energy-efficient, lowering their bills and reducing their carbon footprint. Residents who own a home with an EPC band of below C can take up the offer
of a voucher to claim an assessment from a PAS 2035 Retrofit Assessor who will identify the best
measures for their home, for example insulation, draft proofing, ventilation repairs, low carbon
heating or solar panels. The assessment report will also incorporate analysis of the cost vs benefit
of implementing the suggested improvements. The assessment is free for those with properties
smaller than 98m2, with a maximum additional charge of £30 for larger properties bigger.
Homeowners can check to see if their property has an existing Energy Certificate with an EPC
band and record of their property size at gov.uk/find-energy-certificate. They can apply for the
vouchers by visiting suffolkenergyassessment.co.uk. Applications are open now, and vouchers
will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.