The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) announced on 16 January 2024 that homeowners across the region can now take advantage of a new £16 million fund offering them grants of up to £18,0001. The money, secured by the WMCA from government, will pay for energy saving measures such as super-efficient insulation, solar panels, underfloor heating and heat pumps1.
The grants are available to people who own their own homes in Birmingham, Dudley, Sandwell and Rugby, that are not connected to mains gas, have an EPC rating of D to G, and meet income criteria1. Funding is also available for landlords in the charity and private rented sector1. Those who qualify for Home Upgrade Grants (HUG) will get a free technical survey to see which improvements would be most suitable for their home1.
The WMCA is working in partnership with local energy charities Act on Energy and Marches Energy Agency, along with Birmingham, Sandwell, Dudley and Rugby councils to deliver the HUG programme1. It is part of £70 million of funding the WMCA has secured from government and social housing providers to improve the energy efficiency of thousands of homes right across the region1.
It is estimated that there are currently more than 300,000 homes across the West Midlands that are not connected to the gas grid1. The WMCA says nearly 40 per cent of the region's carbon emissions come from heating and powering our homes1.
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA chair, said:
"Improving the energy efficiency of our region's housing stock is a key part of how we lower energy bills for local people - and create warmer and healthier places to live."
Why it matters for households
For a home off the gas grid, heating usually depends on delivered fuels such as oil, LPG or electricity, and the cost and carbon of that supply sits with the household rather than a mains network. A grant of up to £18,000 towards insulation, solar panels, underfloor heating or a heat pump changes the fabric and the heating system of the property itself, which is the part of energy independence a household can control directly1.
The eligibility rules tie the offer to a specific combination: owner-occupation, no mains gas connection, an EPC rating of D to G, and income criteria, in four named council areas1. Homes outside Birmingham, Dudley, Sandwell and Rugby, or connected to mains gas, fall outside this particular fund as described. The WMCA estimates more than 300,000 homes in the region are off the gas grid, so the fund is smaller than the potential pool1. The free technical survey determines which measures suit an individual property1.
The scheme sits alongside the wider landscape of home energy grants in England and council and local authority energy grants, and is relevant to anyone weighing heating a home off the gas grid. Households on certain means-tested benefits may also qualify for other support, as set out in which benefits qualify you for energy grants.
What happens next
The WMCA says residents can find out more about Home Upgrade Grants and check eligibility on its website or by calling the Act on Energy helpline on 0800 988 28811. No closing date for applications is given in the announcement1.