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Increasing the energy efficiency in your home will help make it warmer, cheaper to run and help lower your contribution to climate change, making it better for our planet.
If your home is too cold, hot or damp this can harm your health and worsen any existing health conditions.
We offer the following:
If your home is energy inefficient it can be expensive to run, uncomfortable to live in and can make you unwell.
National and local help is available and can help fund insulation installation, upgrade heating systems and provide modern and renewable energy sources.
There are a wide range of grants and funding schemes available, some are open to all but many are based on where you live, how much you earn, the energy efficiency rating of your home and whether you own or rent your property.
The government Help to Heat website can help you find energy grants for your home. Remember to check back regularly as new schemes get launched and discontinued frequently.
Some people may be eligible for help as they receive means-tested benefits or qualify because of their age, the MoneySavingExpert website provides a breakdown of government grants for home and energy.
Energy gained from the sun or wind is a renewable energy source and can help you save money in the long term. The ECO and BUS government grants help with the cost of installing or swapping to renewable or low-carbon options. There are various options available for renewable sources of energy which include the following:
Solar panels are fitted onto a south-facing roof and generate electricity from the sun, they are low maintenance and on a sunny day you generate free electricity. Not every property is suitable for solar panels, the roof must be roughly south-facing, structurally strong enough to take the extra weight of the panels and not be obstructed by shade. The Centre for Sustainable Energy website has downloadable PDF leaflets on solar panels PV and battery storage where you can read further information.
Heat pumps can be ground-source or air-source and are a newer type of heating, so they are not very common. They work like a fridge but in reverse, making the air warmer not cooler. They need to be planned into a property but are much more efficient in the longer term, so over time they will help reduce high energy costs. For a heat pump to work efficiently, your home must be well-insulated and have a hot water cylinder. The Centre for Sustainable Energy website has downloadable PDF leaflets on air-source heat pumps and ground-source heat pumps where you can read further information.
We work in partnership with other councils in West Sussex to deliver the Energy Company Obligation Flex and Great British Insulation schemes. The West Sussex Statement of Intent for ECO4 and Great British Insulation Scheme V3 (June 2025) [pdf] 336KB sets out our flexible eligibility criteria for the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) scheme from April 2022 to March 2026 and the Great British Insulation Scheme until March 2026.
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a government scheme. This scheme requires some energy suppliers to help with the cost of improving a home's energy efficiency. These suppliers will provide grants to pay the whole cost or some of the cost towards these improvements, which can include wall insulation and boiler replacements.
You can apply for this grant if the homeowner's annual household income is below £31,000 and someone in your house is vulnerable.
The eligibility criteria for ECO is quite complex. The scheme requires a household to be on a low income and experiencing vulnerability or fuel poverty. You may be eligible if you meet one of the following criteria:
You can apply directly through your energy supplier, see the Ofgem website for a list of ECO suppliers or contact the Citizens Advice Energy Advice Service.
For Further information and to see the list of registered installer visit the West Sussex ECO Flex section.
Superseded Statement of Intent:
SOI West Sussex Fuel Poverty Partnership v2.0 SUPERSEDED 27 August 2019 [pdf] 813KB
SOI West Sussex Fuel Poverty Partnership v2.1 SUPERSEDED [pdf] 396KB
The energy efficiency of homes in England is measured and published as an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
All domestic and commercial buildings need an EPC when a property is built, sold or rented. The highest and most efficient rating is band A, the lower the rating, the less energy-efficient the home is. If your home is rated D, E, F, or G you may be eligible to receive government help to improve its EPC rating.
View your home's EPC on the government website.
Maintaining a warm and comfortable living temperature in an energy-inefficient home can be difficult. Common issues for poor energy efficiency could be due to the following:
You can find out more information about Energy Performance Certificates on the Energy Saving Trust website.
All EPC's include recommendations to improve a home’s energy efficiency and the approximate cost of making the change. If you live in a lower EPC property you may be eligible to receive a grant to help pay for improvements. These grants often update so contact us for the latest information.
Scams about energy efficiency and new schemes for solar/heat pumps and boilers can come in the form of door-knocking, letters, emails, flyers and phone calls.
If an energy efficiency installer contacts you, they may promote the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) Scheme. To deliver this scheme they must be working in partnership with an energy company or be registered with the National Energy Foundation's (NEF) installer list. You can check that they are on the list by contacting the Citizens Advice West Sussex Energy Team on 0800 145 6879.
We recommend you ask the contractor which energy supplier they are working with and to double-check this by contacting the supplier directly. To find contact details of trusted energy suppliers see Ofgem's list of energy suppliers website page.
If you have been approached by installers to do work in your home or are looking for installers, we advise you to check that the company is registered with Trustmark (Government Endorsed Quality Scheme) before any work starts.
If you are looking to install renewable energy (heat pumps or solar panels), check that the company is registered with the MCS Accreditation Scheme or if you are looking for companies to provide insulation in your home they should be registered with the National Insulation Association (NIA).
Being warm enough should not be a luxury but if you are on a low income and experiencing financial difficulties sometimes it can feel that way. Please see the useful advice below that may help.
Reduce your outgoings by:
Increase money coming in by:
Maximise anything free by using:
Getting help towards paying a fuel bill is sometimes available via a one-off fuel voucher from ourselves or Arun & Chichester Citizens Advice. If you are struggling to pay your bill, please contact us for free advice.
If you are on a lower income, you could get £150 off your electricity bill each winter under the Warm Home Discount Scheme. The money is not paid to you - it’s a one-off discount on your electricity bill available between October and March.
You may be able to get a discount on your gas bill instead if your supplier provides you with both gas and electricity. Find out more eligibility information and how to apply by visiting the Warm Home Discount Scheme website.
A range of energy grant help is available but it often changes rapidly. The energy grants available below are current as of April 2024. For advice or help in completing any grant application or funding enquiry, please contact Arun and Chichester Citizens Advice Energy Team in the first instance.
Residents on a low income and who live in Bognor Regis or the surrounding area may also be eligible for SSEN Enabling Works funding. This can help pay towards clearing lofts, moving furniture or other work that enables the grant measures to be installed where the homeowner is unable to do this themselves. The funding application must be submitted by the installer or the organisation processing the grant application.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant provides £7,500 towards the purchase and installation of an air source or ground source heat pump, or £5,000 grant towards a biomass boiler. This grant provides a substantial contribution towards the costs of installing a heat pump or biomass boiler but does not cover the full costs involved.
All homeowners can apply for this grant.
The homeowner must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (ECP) which can not have any outstanding recommendations for loft and cavity wall insulation. If you need insulation check to see if you are eligible to get free or reduced-cost insulation.
The application process is as follows:
Please apply via the Boiler Upgrade Scheme
The Home Upgrade Grant is only available to properties that do not use mains gas for heating and provides energy-efficient upgrades and low-carbon heating such as solar panels/heat pumps.
You are eligible for this grant if:
Please note: you can check your home's EPC rating on the government's find an energy certificate service web page. Landlords with a property portfolio of more than 4 houses are not eligible for the Warmer Homes Home Upgrade Grant and park homes are no longer eligible due to the government quota for park homes already being met.
To apply please use the Warmer Homes website.
We work in partnership with other councils in West Sussex to deliver the Energy Company Obligation and Great British Insulation schemes. The Statement of Intent (ECO4)[pdf] 356KB sets out our flexible eligibility criteria for the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) scheme from April 2022 to March 2026 and the Great British Insulation Scheme until March 2026.
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a government scheme. This scheme requires some energy suppliers to help with the cost of improving a home's energy efficiency. These suppliers will provide grants to pay the whole cost or some of the cost towards these improvements, which can include wall insulation and boiler replacements.
If you are contacted directly by an installer promoting this scheme, check they are registered with the National Energy Foundation which is helping us to administer this scheme. You can check whether an installer is on their approved list by contacting their Better Homes, Better Health helpline on 0800 107 0044 .
You can apply for this grant if the homeowner's annual household income is below £31,000 and someone in your house is vulnerable.
The eligibility criteria for ECO is quite complex. The scheme requires a household to be on a low income and experiencing vulnerability or fuel poverty. You may be eligible if you meet one of the following criteria:
You can apply directly through your energy supplier, see the Ofgem website for a list of ECO suppliers or contact the Citizens Advice Energy Advice Service
The Great British Insulation Scheme is a new government scheme designed to insulate homes across the country. It aims to tackle fuel poverty, reduce energy bills and support low-income and vulnerable households.
If you are contacted directly by an installer promoting this scheme, check they are registered with the National Energy Foundation, which is helping us to administer this scheme. You can check whether an installer is on their approved list by contacting their Better Homes, Better Health helpline on 0800 107 0044 .
Energy suppliers deliver the Great British Insulation Scheme. They will assess your home, either through a desktop assessment or by arranging a visit to your home. What the energy supplier can offer you will depend on this assessment.
You'll find out after the assessment if you need to pay anything. You can decide not to go ahead if you do not agree with the evaluation or costs.
The most common measures installed under this scheme are loft insulation or cavity wall insulation, which may require a financial contribution. Other insulation measures such as solid wall insulation may be available, but the energy supplier is only likely to offer them to you with a substantial financial contribution.
All homeowners and tenants with permission from landlords can apply for this grant.
Homeowners whose properties are in Council Tax bands A-D with an Energy Performance Certificate rating of D-G. You can check your home's EPC rating on the government's find a energy certificate service webpage. Those on low incomes may get insulation for free. Those not on low incomes may be asked to contribute dependent on earnings.
Please apply via the government website for the Great British Insulation Scheme
Solar Together Sussex is a council-supported group buying scheme for solar panels. It aims to help residents generate clean electricity at home and reduce their impact on the environment. It provides high-quality solar panels and battery storage systems from accredited installers at a competitive price.
If no active scheme running, you can register your interest on the Solar Together website to be notified when the next scheme is launched. When you register online, you will be asked questions about your house, roof, and electricity usage. Once a scheme goes live you will be provided with a quote for solar panels for your property. You can ask for a no-obligation quote for battery storage too if you have, or plan to have an electric car charging point. There will be a deadline by which you must accept the quote to take up the offer.
Homeowners and landlords can apply for this grant.
You can register your interest on the Solar Together website.
Funding is available for a whole-house, efficient heating system where no working central heating system exists and the applicant has exhausted every other possibility of funding a new system in addition the the applicant must also be experiencing fuel poverty. we do not support funding for maintenance of the system, this is the responsibility of the homeowner.
Safe, Suitable, Warm Homes Grant does not apply to renewable energy systems, for example, heat pumps or biomass.
All homeowners who live in Arun District can apply.
Homeowners who live in the Arun District and are in receipt of means-tested benefits or that have completed and qualified under a preliminary means test; and are experiencing fuel poverty.
How to apply
To apply for this grant please contact us
Phone: 01903 737755
Email: energy.efficiency@arun.gov.uk
If you own your home and have a heating/hot water system that is broken, you may be eligible for emergency help which is the loan of one or two oil-filled radiators. Contact our home energy visitor without delay. You can call us
Phone: 01903 737755
or apply online
If the total annual income of all working adults in your household is less than £36,000, or you are in receipt of a means-tested benefit, you may be eligible for:
If the total annual income of all working adults in your household is over £36,000 and you are not eligible for full grants, you may wish to consider the following:
Landlords are required by law to ensure their rental properties have an energy performance certificate rating of at least E. This means that F and G-rated properties cannot be let.
Please see further information on Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES).
If you live in a privately rented property the following options could help:
Landlords applying for grants can be required to contribute up to 50% of costs. The part-funding contribution is still a significant help towards installing measures that will make the property more energy-efficient.
Please note landlords with a property portfolio of more than 4 houses are not eligible for the Warmer Homes Home Upgrade Grant.
Both you and your landlord must give permission and provide evidence that the eligibility criteria are met.
If you live in social housing you can:
Please note that you will not be eligible for most grants because the government has a separate grant for social housing providers.
If you live in a shared ownership property and do not have responsibility for the maintenance of your property, you will not be eligible for most grants. However, you could be eligible for the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) grant if your rent is above the market rate. In this case, it would be considered as private-rented sector and you or the landlord may be required to contribute 50% of the costs.
If you are responsible for the maintenance of your property, you may be eligible for some of the grants listed on this page. Please enquire directly to the contact details provided for each grant/scheme for further clarification.
We have a Landlord Accreditation Scheme which provides support and recognition to landlords who are meeting standards relating to the condition and management of their properties.
Energy Efficiency and Fuel Poverty Strategy 2020-2025
If you would like our help you can contact us by:
Phone 01903 737755
Email energy.efficiency@arun.gov.uk