Energy efficiency is a hot topic worldwide; particularly so for the UK government who have a target to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. Energy efficiency is also a pressing concern for the British public, many of which are under increasing financial pressure, and are struggling to pay household bills.
Intensifying the situation is the fact that many UK households are relying on boilers which are more than 10 years old. Boilers, which unfortunately, are simply not as efficient as the models available today. As a result, the UK government have committed to a countrywide effort that will see them assist homeowners in replacing ageing boilers.
Thankfully, many UK families are in a fortunate enough position to be able to cover the cost of a boiler upgrade without outside help. This is something they should do as soon as possible in order to begin recuperating the cost in energy savings, whilst simultaneously reducing their environmental footprint, and making the most of the warmer, more comfortable home a new boiler will deliver.
However households on lower incomes may very well struggle to meet the costs of a new boiler (even a relatively standard upgrade will cost in the region of £2,300), despite the savings they would inevitably make later down the line.
As a result, the government set about launching ECO (Energy Companies Obligation); an initiative which, amongst other things, would enable households at risk of, or suffering with, fuel poverty to access new boiler grants. Launched in January 2013, the ECO is an excellent initiative that will greatly assist those who are finding themselves crippled with bills they cannot afford to pay. For some, the situation is so bleak that they are often forced to make the difficult decision between turning on the heating, or feeding their family.
There are a number of factors that affect a household’s eligibility for new boiler grants. These include which benefits (if any) the family currently qualify for, and the age of the boiler presently in use. In some cases, where a household has been deemed unable to contribute anything, a 100% grant may be issued.
So what is a grant?
A grant is a sum of money that is allocated to you in order to help pay for (or in some cases, completely cover the cost of) something that is deemed to be of great benefit. For example, as well as new boiler grants, many UK home owners could also be entitled to insulation grants, or in some cases, direct contributions towards energy bills.
There are two key reasons why such grants are given: firstly, they are a huge help to home owners who are struggling with energy bills, and can even help save lives. However, the grants also inadvertently benefit the the UK government, since improving the energy efficiency of UK homes contributes towards achieving their 2050 target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80%.
A new boiler could save families up to £500 a year. Unfortunately, many home owners are unaware of the ECO scheme and how it can help them upgrade their boiler (or potentially cover the cost in its entirety). If you would like more information on grants for new boilers then please give Azko Energy a call on 01535 279179 or fill out our contact form here. Alternatively, you can enter the details of your current situation directly into our application form, and we will get in touch regarding your available options.