Energy Efficiency grants are available to assist with the cost of installing energy-efficiency measures in your home.

Mid Suffolk Council is committed to achieving energy efficiency improvements in homes district wide to comply with the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 (HECA), and the Energy Conservation Act 1996, in order to reduce energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

At the same time, the Council is committed to tackling the housing problems such as condensation, mould growth, and poor health that are associated with fuel poverty and badly heated and insulated homes.

To this end the Council is working closely in partnership with the Energy Saving Trust Advice Centre Anglia (ESTACA) to promote energy efficiency and provide information and assistance to homeowners and private tenants on how to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, save energy, and reduce heating bills. They will also be able to advise on grants and schemes that are available in Mid Suffolk to meet or help with the cost of any work.

ESTACA may be contacted direct by telephone on freephone 0800 512 012, or by fax on 01733 346902 You can also email them on info@est-anglia.org.uk or visit their website for further information.

ESTACA will provide information that is tailored to meet your personal circumstances, and may, depending on your circumstances, give advice about the following:

Warm Front

Launched in 2000, Warm Front is the government's main grant-funded programme for tackling fuel poverty. Fuel poverty is defined as occurring where a household cannot afford to keep warm and it damages the health of those living in cold homes and affects their quality of life. The main cause is a combination of poor energy efficiency in homes, and low household income levels.

The Warm Front scheme offers grants for home insulation measures, and in certain cases, heating improvements. Owner occupiers and private tenants may be eligible if they are aged 60+, or have children aged 16 or younger and are receiving one or more of the following benefits:

• Council Tax Benefit
• Housing Benefit
• Income-based Jobseeker Allowance .
• Income Support
• Pension guarantee credit

or are receiving one of the following:

• Attendance Allowance
• Child Tax Credit (with household income less than £15050)
• Council Tax Benefit (which includes a disability premium)
• Disability Living Allowance
• Housing Benefit (which includes a disability premium)
• Income Support (which includes a disability premium)
• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (which includes Constant Attendance Allowance)
• War Disablement Pension (which includes a mobility supplement or Constant Attendance Allowance)
• Working Families Tax Credit (with household income less than £15000)

Grants of up to £2,700 are available from Warm Front for households that may require improvements to provide central heating (up to £4,000 for oil-fired systems). The Council may be able to provide a top-up grant in some cases where the cost of installation exceeds these limits.

Further information on Warm Front may be obtained by calling ESTACA as above. You can also call Warm Front direct on freephone 0800 316 2805 / 0800 316 6011 (8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday) or visit visit their website

Those homeowners who are 60 years of age or older or who have disabilities, but fall outside Warm Front eligibility criteria, may be eligible for an energy efficiency assistance grant from the Council for insulation measures, but will not be eligible under normal circumstances for the installation of central heating or double glazing. For more information, please contact ESTACA on freephone 0800 512 012, email info@est-anglia.org.uk or visit vist their website

You should not start work until your grant has been approved. Assistance will not be available for any works that have commenced irrespective of whether the work is eligible for grant aid. You will be advised at the time of your approval if you will have to make a contribution to the cost of work and you will be asked if you wish to proceed. If you do then once you have informed the Council accordingly, then the Council will confirm with the contractor who will contact you direct to make a mutually convenient date for the work to be carried out.

For more information please call our Customer Service Centre

Aged 70+?

You may be entitled to free insulation. Find out more by contacting ESTACA.

British Gas Council Tax Rebate Insulation Scheme

The Council is working in partnership with British Gas to offer a substantial Council Tax rebate worth £75 to Mid Suffolk homeowners who take up the offer of home insulation at discounted prices under this scheme. To benefit from this offer, homeowners should telephone 0845 971 7731 quoting reference SUFF

Further information on this scheme and any others available in Mid Suffolk may be obtained by contacting ESTACA