Grants available for homes improvements & energy efficiency

echohoteloscar

doken wrote: »

I am only getting carers allowance and my partner gets DLA and state pension, we have lived off of our savings for the last year but desperately need some repair or replacements to our double glazed windows, they are 15 years old and do not have any vents, so we get condensation problems and have some misted windows.

Are we entitled to any help / grants at all please, any advice appreciated

Unlikely. An assessor will look at your physiological and psychological requirements (http://www.hhsrs.org.uk/html/the_hazards_2.html), in particular the requirements for natural light and how the windows contribute to dampness. Still, worth a quick call to your local council nonetheless. They can only say no...

soontobesensible

Thank you to martin and the team. I have just been lucky enough to qualify for a brand new boiler through 'heating and insulation grants for wales'. Freephone 08003162815 just ring and see if you qualify. Didn't think I met the criteria but I did.:T:D:T:D

JARVIE

hi i was wondering if there was a grant to change my coal fire to a gas fire? my house is an ex council house and the house had been bought before the council changed the fire and heating systems for free.
any feedback would be much appreciated thanks

echohoteloscar

JARVIE wrote: »

hi i was wondering if there was a grant to change my coal fire to a gas fire? my house is an ex council house and the house had been bought before the council changed the fire and heating systems for free.
any feedback would be much appreciated thanks

Do you have central heating? If your current heating is seen by inspectors as unsuitable and you meet the qualification criteria, the government's Warm Front scheme (www.warmfront.co.uk) can replace it with gas fired central heating (note: they won't replace your coal fire for a gas fire). If you don't qualify for this, ring the Energy Savings Trust on 0800 512 012 to see if there are any local schemes operating in your area (grants or discounts). As a final punt, try asking your district/borough/city council.

Cashwitch

Hi
We are looking to replace our gas boiler which is old (15/20 years +).It's costing us a fortune as it's not on-demand hot water for water/heating.We live in Wales, are both employed, do not have children, do not claim benefits and are under 60 years of age.Our gas and electricity supplier is E-on.
Is there any hope of claiming any grants/part-funding for this as we really can't afford to borrow £2,000 for a new one as we're trying to reduce - not increase - our debts?

Cashwitch

JARVIE wrote: »

hi i was wondering if there was a grant to change my coal fire to a gas fire? my house is an ex council house and the house had been bought before the council changed the fire and heating systems for free.
any feedback would be much appreciated thanks

Hi as I said in my post, above, I'm an E-on customer and looking at their website, if you are on benefits, they're offering something called the 'heatplant' system if you are not currently connected to gas.
It's a ground-pump that is buried in your garden which provides controllable, affordable energy.It's normally £1,000's but if you qualify it might be a really great offer.

They say:
''To qualify for a free HeatPlant installation:

1. Your home should be no larger than a 3 bedroom semi-detached house, and
2. Your home should be currently heated by coal, and
3. Your home should not be connected to mains gas, and
4. Your home should not be a solid wall property, and
5. At least one member of your household should be on a qualifying benefit.

We’ll need a minimum of six eligible homes that are in close proximity to one another in order to install E.ON HeatPlant for free. These homes can also include residents not on benefits, or those not using coal heating, but they may need to pay up to £11,500 for the system. In this instance, we’re often able to offer discounts of up to 75%, so if you don’t meet the above criteria, it’s still worth giving us a call.''

http://www.eonenergy.com/At-Home/Products/Technology-And-Initiatives/HeatPlant/Who+can+apply.htm?WT.mc_id=Find_out_if_you_qualify_for_HeatPlant&WT.svl=8

Just_mommy

Can anyone offer me any advice please????

I live in an ex-council 2 bedroom house, I have 3 children (all girls) ages 11,5 and 2. Is there any help out there for adapting the house to a 3 bed? Its really cramped for all three of them in one room and there is no way we can afford to move.

I lost my job in Feb and my husband lost his in May. My husband was on a good wage but had only been with the company for 1 year so go not redundancy, he has now taken a new job but it only pays £14,000 a year.

Any suggestions would be very gratefully received.

Thanks x

echohoteloscar

Just_mommy wrote: »

Can anyone offer me any advice please????

I live in an ex-council 2 bedroom house, I have 3 children (all girls) ages 11,5 and 2. Is there any help out there for adapting the house to a 3 bed? Its really cramped for all three of them in one room and there is no way we can afford to move.

I lost my job in Feb and my husband lost his in May. My husband was on a good wage but had only been with the company for 1 year so go not redundancy, he has now taken a new job but it only pays £14,000 a year.

Any suggestions would be very gratefully received.

Thanks x

Unlikely - you're best bet is to ring the grants office at your local City / Borough / District council to see what help they can offer. You give the ages of your children which are likely to be below the age / size of property which councils can take action for crowding. However, if there was an overcrowding issue, then you would need an extension rather than adaption as you need greater floor area, and this may be unaffordable / unreasonable for many councils. Some councils help crowded families by paying for removal costs if they decide to buy a bigger home.

As your children are soon to want their own space, have you considered applying for social housing? It is likely with the size of your family you will be considered for 3 bedroom accommodation. Again, contact your local council.

Just_mommy

Thanks for replying to me.

I was under the impression that we wouldnt be considered for re-housing as we own our own house?

I will contact the council and try and find out. Thanks again for the reply.

echohoteloscar

Just_mommy wrote: »

Thanks for replying to me.

I was under the impression that we wouldnt be considered for re-housing as we own our own house?

I will contact the council and try and find out. Thanks again for the reply.

Good for you. Each council has their own rules for their housing waiting list. Many accept applications if their current property is no longer suitable and the owner occupier lacks the resources to find their own solution to their housing problem.