The Government funded Warm Front could be coming your wayWarm Front is the Government’s largest scheme designed to combat fuel poverty in the private owner occupied and rented sector in England and is a key component of the Government’s UK Fuel Poverty Strategy (published 2001).
A household in “fuel poverty” is one where more than 10% of income is needed to heat the home to an adequate standard of warmth. Fuel poverty can come about as the result of a combination of poor energy efficiency in homes, energy prices and low incomes.
The Warm Front Scheme gives grants to applicants who own their own home or rent it from a private landlord and are on certain benefits. A grant can provide energy-efficiency advice, two energy-efficient light bulbs and a package of heating and insulation and heating improvements. This may include new central-heating, or repairs to an existing heating system. You could receive a grant of up to £3,500, or up to £6,000 if your home needs oil central heating.
If you have received a Warm Front Grant before, you may qualify for extra insulation and heating work, depending on the improvements you originally received.
Over 1.7 million homes have been assisted by Warm Front since the scheme started in June 2000. Last year alone, 268,900 received improvements funded by the grant. Don’t miss out – you can apply today and The Warm Front Scheme look forward to hearing from you.
Do I qualify for a Warm Front Grant?
If you own your own home or rent it from a private landlord, you may be eligible for a grant of up to £3,500 (or £6,000 if oil central heating is involved) under the Warm Front Scheme. Warm Front Grants are available in England only; other schemes operate in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
If the property has previously received Warm Front improvements, the grant now available will be the balance of £3,500 (or £6,000 if oil central heating is involved) less the value of all works previously completed.
Applicants meeting the following criteria may be eligible for the Warm Front Scheme.
1. Householders aged 60 or over in receipt of one or more of the following benefits:
· Income Support
· Council Tax Benefit
· Housing Benefit
· Job Seekers Allowance (income-based)
· Pension Credit
· Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
2. Householders with a child under 16, or pregnant women with maternity certificate MAT-B1, in receipt of one or more of the following benefits:
· Income Support
· Council Tax Benefit
· Housing Benefit
· Job Seekers Allowance (income-based)
· Pension Credit
· Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
3. Householders in receipt of one or more of the following benefits:
· Working Tax Credit (with an income of less than £15,460, which must include a disability element)
· Disability Living Allowance
· Child Tax Credit (with an income of less than £15,460)
· Housing Benefit (which must include a disability premium)
· Income Support (which must include a disability premium)
· Council Tax Benefit (which must include a disability premium)
· War Disablement Pension (which must include a mobility supplement or Constant Attendance Allowance)
· Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (which must include Constant Attendance Allowance)
· Attendance Allowance
NOTES:
· The term ‘Householder’ includes the applicant’s spouse, or partner, if they are living with the applicant
· Please note a Disability Living Allowance award for a child or non-dependent in your household will not qualify for the Warm Front grant.
If you are not in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits listed above, The Warm Front Scheme can offer you a full benefit assessment to establish if you are or should be receiving any benefits that would qualify you for the Warm Front Grant.
What will I get from Warm Front?
The Warm Front Scheme provides a package of insulation and/or heating measures up to a maximum value of £3,500 (or £6,000 if oil central heating is involved), less the value of all works previously completed in the property under Warm Front.
All successful grant applicants’ homes will be visited by a trained assessor, who will determine the full requirements of each individual property.
The assessor will:
· call you to arrange a convenient time to visit you;
· ask to see proof of your benefits;
· discuss with you the energy improvements that are available under Warm Front; and
· recommend improvements based on what you already have in your home and the needs of your property.
The visit will take no longer than one hour and will normally happen within 21 working days once The Warm Front Scheme have approved your application.
Improvements that the Warm Front Grant can provide include:
Loft insulation
This is one of the most effective ways to make your home more energy-efficient. The Warm Front Scheme fit two layers of insulation in the loft.
Draughtproofing
The Warm Front Scheme fit plastic strips to all windows and outside doors. Doors have plastic strips on the top and the two sides, and a brush on the bottom.
Cavity-wall insulation
The Warm Front Scheme fill the space betThe Warm Front Schemeen your cavity walls with insulation.
Hot-water-tank insulation
The Warm Front Scheme check the insulation around your hot-water tank, and fit a jacket if necessary.Energy-efficient light bulbs
The Warm Front Scheme will send you two energy-efficient light bulbs.
Gas, electric or oil central heating
The Warm Front Scheme install a combination boiler, up to five radiators including all valves and pipework. The Warm Front Scheme may also repair your existing heating system.
Glass-fronted fire
The Warm Front Scheme can convert your solid-fuel open fire to a glass-fronted fire.
If you have previously received a Warm Front Grant, you may now re-apply for further measures such as top-ups to your loft insulation, heating repairs and boiler replacements. Contact us to find out more.
Alternative Technologies and Warm Front
The Warm Front Management Board will consider applications to incorporate alternative technologies into the Scheme.
£300 heating rebate scheme
Since 2001 Warm Front has helped thousands of people receive insulation and heating improvements to make their homes warmer, healthier and more energy-efficient. More funds have now been made available to help some of those who would not otherwise be eligible for Warm Front.
If you do not qualify for a Warm Front Grant because you do not receive a relevant benefit, you may still be eligible for a £300 rebate.
This rebate is available to all householders aged 60 or over who own their home or rent it from a private landlord, who either have no central heating system or one which is inoperable.
Application Process
> Stage 1 - Application
All customers can apply via the Eaga Contact Centre on 0800 316 2805. Lines are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm and on Saturday from 9am to 5pm. Or, you can write to us at the following address: Eaga plc, Freepost NAT 13708, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 1ZL. You do not need to use a stamp.
Customers who are not eligible for a Warm Front Grant will be given the opportunity to register for the Warm Front £300 Heating Rebate Scheme.
A Benefit Entitlement Check will be offered and if the Warm Front qualifying benefits are identified, the householder will follow the normal Warm Front route. If no benefits are identified, or the customer declines the Check, they will be passed to the Warm Front £300 Heating Rebate Scheme. The rebate can be used for gas, electric or solid fuel installations or repairs.
> Stage 2 - Installation
A letter and voucher/claim form is sent to the customer detailing names of six registered installers working in their area. Householders qualifying for funding will only be permitted to use installers approved by CORGI, NICEIC or OFTEC and who are registered with Eaga for the £300 Heating Rebate Scheme.
The customer’s letter and voucher/claim form will have a unique reference number, therefore photocopies will not be accepted. The voucher/claim form is valid for three months from the date shown on the letter. If the voucher is not used within this time, it is possible to reapply. Please remember, that funds are limited so the offer may not be available if a reapplication is made.
The customer will then contact one or more of the installers on the list to carry out a technical survey and provide a quote. The Warm Front Scheme recommend that customers obtain more than one quote. The customer will decide which installer they want to carry out the work and will contact them directly to arrange an installation date.
> Stage 3 - Redemption
Once the installation has been completed and the customer is satisfied, the installer will provide the client with an invoice for the works, showing a £300 deduction. The customer will then provide the installer with their signed voucher/claim form to enable the installer to claim the rebate from Eaga.
If, for any reason, the customer is unhappy with the installation works, they should approach the installer directly and agree a solution. Any remedial works should be carried out to the customer’s satisfaction prior to the submission of the voucher/claim form. Eaga will carry out a verification check on a proportion of installations to confirm that measures have been completed and the customer is satisfied.
Eaga has a dedicated team to monitor the performance of the heating and insulation contractors that it works with. Using a vendor rating system, companies are assessed according to their standards of quality, health and safety and customer care. This encourages best practice by increasing the work allocation to those contractors who perform consistently The Warm Front Schemell in all aspects.
If you have a query about the Warm Front Scheme, please contact enquiry@Eaga.com or call freephone 0800 316 2805
Many Warm Front customers are amongst the most vulnerable people in society; those who may not feel comfortable about contacting us directly for help. You can help reach those in greatest need by ensuring that everyone you come into contact with knows where to go for help.