Warm Homes Local Grant

Warm Homes Local Grant (WHLG)

The Warm Homes Local Grant is a government-funded scheme delivered by Sefton Council. It provides grants for energy efficiency upgrades and low carbon heating to eligible privately owned homes in Sefton, aiming to reduce energy bills and carbon emissions.

If you are eligible, the property is deemed suitable, and the funds are available, an assessment on your home will determine the measures that may be available through the grant. These may include:

wall, loft and underfloor insulation
air source heat pumps
smart controls
solar panels

As a condition of the grant the necessary ventilation will also be installed. This will help prevent any condensation or damp issues.

Am I Eligible?

To be eligible,

1. Your home must:

be in the Sefton Council borough
be privately owned
have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of D or below

2. You must qualify via:

Pathway 1: The household must live in a postcode that falls within Income Deciles 1-2 of the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD:ID 1-2).
Pathway 2: The household must either receive specific means-tested benefits or qualify under Route 2 of ECO4 Flex criteria.
Pathway 3: The household’s gross annual income must be below £36,000 or meet the ‘After Housing Costs’ threshold, which is adjusted for the household size

How much will it cost?

Owner occupiers will not be required to make a financial contribution.

Landlords will not be required to contribute anything for their first property treated under this scheme, but any additional properties owned by the same landlord, will require a contribution of 50% towards the cost of upgrades.

What are the benefits?

The scheme is intended to help make homes more energy efficient. The benefits may include:

Reducing the amount of energy needed to heat or power your home.
Potentially reducing your energy bills, which may save you money.
Helping to tackle the climate emergency - reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality.

The Council have delivered several similar successful retrofit schemes. View our ‘Sustainable Warmth Fund - Evaluation Report’ which contains real-life examples of residents in the Sefton borough, who have benefited from upgrades to their home.

How do I apply?

If you would like to register an interest for the scheme, please complete the form in the link below:

Apply for the Warm Homes: Local Grant to improve a home

If you are unable to complete the form online, please contact the Retrofit Team (details further down the page). We can post out a paper version of the form and/or go through it on the telephone. The Council also have interpretation and translation facilities should it be requested.

Please note we expect the scheme to be oversubscribed. Expressing an interest does not guarantee you will be contacted.

Do privately rented homes qualify?

Landlords of privately rented properties can express an interest in the scheme through contacting the Retrofit Team direct on 0151 934 2848 (leave 1 message with a name and contact number). The eligibility will be based on the tenant’s circumstances, therefore you must speak to them before contacting the Retrofit Team. Landlords applying for multiple properties will have the first eligible property fully funded (subject to survey and budget) however, will be required to make a 50% contribution towards retrofit works, for any additional properties under the Warm Homes Local Grant scheme.

Private Landlords must also declare that they have not received subsidy over the Minimal Financial Assistance limit of £315,000 (including the value of Warm Homes Local Grant support to be given, and any previous assistance given to the landlords over the current and previous 2 financial years).

If you live in a property owned by a Housing Association, please contact them directly, as you are not eligible for this scheme. However, your Housing Association may have access to the Warm Homes Social Housing fund, which offers similar works.

What will happen once I apply?

Please note we expect the scheme to be oversubscribed. Expressing an interest does not guarantee you will be contacted.

If your application is progressed further, the Retrofit Team will be in touch with you. We may ask you for some personal ID, financial information (to verify your household income), property deeds etc.

If you have been asked to upload evidence to support your application, please do so via the Retrofit and Healthy Green Homes Form.

After review of your evidence your application may be progressed to the next stage, when our procured installer, EcoGee, will be in touch to arrange a survey of your property. This survey, called a Retrofit Assessment, is a detailed, non-intrusive survey by a qualified Retrofit Assessor, looking at your home's structure, insulation, heating systems etc, to recommend the most appropriate energy efficiency improvements.

If the Retrofit Assessment indicates that works can be completed within budget and there is funding available, you may then progress to works being completed at your property or be placed on a waiting list until funding is available.

If my application is approved, does this mean I will get work done to my home?

No. The Council expect the demand for this project to be extremely high and to be heavily oversubscribed. Some residents may not get past the application stage, not because they are ineligible, but because funds are limited and demand is high.

Even after a Retrofit Assessment has been carried out in your home, you may not receive funding – either because your property is not suitable for any measures or because the funding is not available. We understand that this will leave some residents disappointed.

The grant is discretionary, and an expression of interest in the scheme, completing and application or a survey being completed on your property does not guarantee you will receive works.

We will follow our Delivery Policy which will help ensure that the limited funding is distributed in the fairest and most cost-effective way.

I have been offered a retrofit measure, what can I expect?

The Council have procured EcoGee to install the measures/works in your home. EcoGee will explain to you the measure being offered and the install process as well as any recommended changes in behaviour after install, which will help you make the most of the new measure.

EcoGee will advise you on how long the work will take, as it is property specific, because it depends on the type of upgrade measure offered and the current condition of your home. Some upgrades may take longer to organise than others. For example, some may require planning permission and/or are weather-dependent. If needed and approved, you will not need to pay or apply for planning yourself.

You may have multiple surveys as part of the process as there is a formal compliance process to meet funding requirements, as well as Council checks and monitoring. You agree to this as part of the Homeowner Retrofit Agreement.

Why are ventilation improvements to my home needed before receiving a measure?

Government standards, known as PAS2035, mean that households who qualify for funding must have adequate ventilation. Should your property require any ventilation improvements, they will be explained to you in advance, and they will be fitted at the same time as your measures at no cost to you. Ventilation improvements could include extractor fans, trickle vents on windows or gaps beneath internal doors. These allow air to move throughout your home, keeping your home safe and healthy.

Can I have the same work that my neighbour or family member has had?

This is a question that cannot be answered, as one size does not fit all. Your neighbour or family member's property may look similar or have been built around the same time, however, how people live or how a property has been changed can vary the efficiency of each property. The Retrofit Assessor is trained and qualified to identify the best improvements for each individual property on a case-by-case basis.
Will I need to sign any documents?

If your property has been approved for a Retrofit Assessment you will be asked to sign a Homeowner Retrofit Agreement before EcoGee visit your home. This is a legally binding agreement that sets out data protection information and the agreed terms and conditions that all parties will be required to follow, should the application progress to works.

If my application is unsuccessful is there any alternative support?

There are alternative funding routes for energy efficiency measures, which some residents may be eligible for if not successful with Warm Homes Local Grant. These include;

ECO4 Flex. Please see our ECO4 Flex page for more details
Energy Projects Plus. May be able to offer home energy assessments, access to alternative grants and help with fuel payments/ debt Referring Clients to Energy Projects Plus | Energy Projects Plus
Healthy Green Homes Team. Help with broken heating systems, energy efficiency advice. Tel: 0151 934 2222 or email energy@sefton.gov.uk for further information.

Contact Us

Sefton Council Retrofit Team

Telephone: 0151-934-2848 (answerphone service – please leave 1 message with your name and contact number and someone will return your call)

Email: retrofit@sefton.gov.uk

We expect the Retrofit Team to be very busy when the scheme goes live and therefore team response times will reflect this.

Office:

Magdalen House, Trinity Road, Bootle, L20 3NJ
(Please note - the Council has a hybrid working model, which means that there may not be anyone from the Retrofit Team available in person if you turn up without an appointment).

EcoGee Limited (installer)

Telephone: 0151 521 4520

Email: info@ecogee.co.uk

Feedback

We appreciate any feedback you may have about the scheme. Please see the link below to the Council’s Complements, Comments and Complaints page - which includes information for reporting should you suspect an applicant or employee of fraud.

Link to compliments, comments and complaints