No Boiler, never had one - Any grant help?

TheGardener

HI. Older relative hasn't been well. We've discovered he doesn't have a heating boiler. He lives in a flat and only has a single gas fire in the lounge for heating (don't know how we never noticed but he's not someone we see often) He's home from hospital and probably needs some help. I can find plenty of info about replacing old boilers - but nothing for someone who doesn't have a boiler at all. Any ideas? 

theoretica

Does he get any of the benefits on this list?  https://www.freeheating.co.uk/

Ectophile

theoretica said:

Does he get any of the benefits on this list?  https://www.freeheating.co.uk/

Just watch out for the "A contribution towards the cost of the new central heating system may be required, depending on the amount of work needed and how efficient the property is. This can be paid for through savings on heating bills via the Green Deal" bit.

The Green Deal is lending you the money on a credit agreement.  It's supposed to end up saving you money, but sometimes the predicted savings are wildly inflated to make the credit look like a good deal.

jbuchanangb

There is a scheme called ECO-3 which might help.
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-programmes/eco/support-improving-your-home

Anunnaki

TheGardener said:

HI. Older relative hasn't been well. We've discovered he doesn't have a heating boiler. He lives in a flat and only has a single gas fire in the lounge for heating (don't know how we never noticed but he's not someone we see often) He's home from hospital and probably needs some help. I can find plenty of info about replacing old boilers - but nothing for someone who doesn't have a boiler at all. Any ideas? 

Is the flat owned by your relative, Rented from private Landlord or a Council tenant.

It is not only about installing a boiler, it will be about installing central heating.

Floors up to run pipes, Position for boiler and flue, Electrics to boiler and thermostat? 

All doable. But does he want all the disruption, as he has seemingly coped with running a very expensive gas fire for years?

Have you discussed this with your elderly relative?

coffeehound

Probably already coverd above, but the main site has a couple of pages

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/free-cavity-loft-insulation/#boilers

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/green-homes-grant/

binao

Contact your energy supplier first. You can also apply to any other supplier.

Avoid Freeheating and such like.

The www.ofgem.gov site link given above is a good start also local councils, especially Northern, may help or offer guidance.

Maybe a simple balanced flue gas wall heater on an external wall would be an easy way forward

macman

How is the property hot-watered?
Surely the priority is to provide adequate heating-that doesn't necessarily mean CH needs to be installed.
Installing full gas CH in a flat probably means that the supply from the meter will need to be upgraded, so where is the gas meter?
If it's elsewhere in a block, then things get more complicated.

TheGardener

Sorry for the late response: Benefits = Pension and Pension credit. Yes - he owns the flat outright. Water is an emersion heater in the tank in the airing cupboard. No, it transpires he doesn't want the upheaval of having CH installed, and of course, that's his prerogative.  So - we have provided 2 thermostat-controlled, electric oil-filled radiators on plug-in timers and put new cladding on the hot water tank. We also sorted out some new curtains with thermal linings and got him a new duvet (which he absolutely loves - he'd had sheets and blankets before) and to be honest - he is delighted with these changes and feels these solutions are all he needs. We also got his gas fire serviced (a job that hadn't been done in a while!!!) and set up an annual gas service contract and switched his energy provider to a more suitable contract. He's never really lived in a home with central heating and I guess it's what you are used to. 

MWT

TheGardener said:

So - we have provided 2 thermostat-controlled, electric oil-filled radiators on plug-in timers...

I hope he understands, and can afford, the large increase he is going to see in his electricity bill.. ?

binao

Thank you @TheGardener for the update. The changes sound great and has you say, your relative is delighted, which is excellent  news.

Good luck