Leeds City Council launched a new scheme on 3 January 2024 to help residents cut energy bills, working in partnership with energy services provider Everwarm Ltd. The council said hundreds of homeowners, renters and landlords of properties without gas central heating can now get energy saving measures installed, funded by £15.5 million secured for Leeds homes from the Home Upgrade Grant1.
Upgrades available include different types of insulation, heat pumps, solar panels and electric radiators1. Homeowners who qualify will be able to get upgrades fitted completely free of charge, while eligible landlords will be able to install the same improvements with a two-thirds discount1. Everwarm will work with applicants to agree a combination of upgrades that will be installed to improve the energy efficiency (EPC) rating of their property1.
The council said applications will be dealt with on a first-come, first-served basis, and that the funding must be used before it expires in March 20251. Residents can check eligibility online at www.leeds.gov.uk/homeenergy or call the council's contractor on 0800-197-77551.
The council set out the scale of the problem the scheme addresses. Fewer than half of Leeds' privately rented or privately owned homes achieved a 'C' grade or better for their energy-efficiency rating in 2021, and one in six (17.6%) Leeds households were classed as living in fuel poverty in 2020, officially defined as living in a relatively inefficient home and having an income below the poverty line once energy bills are paid for1.
"Tackling heat waste from our homes is a win-win-win. it helps household finances, improves our health, and is good for the planet too."
The council said improving the energy efficiency and quality of Leeds' homes has been identified as a key aim of its Best City Ambition because of its benefits for health, poverty alleviation, and role in cutting the city's carbon footprint1.
| Household type | Support available |
|---|---|
| Qualifying homeowners | Upgrades fitted completely free of charge |
| Eligible landlords | Same improvements with a two-thirds discount |
Why it matters for households
For homes without a gas connection, the measures on offer address both how much heat escapes and how the home is heated. Insulation reduces heat loss, while heat pumps, solar panels and electric radiators change the way a property is warmed or powered. The council states that the combination agreed with Everwarm is intended to improve the property's EPC rating1.
For a household, an improved EPC rating and installed measures can reduce the amount of energy needed to keep a home at a comfortable temperature, which bears directly on running costs and on how much a home depends on purchased energy. The council frames the scheme around that link, noting that tackling heat loss makes buildings easier and cheaper to keep warm1. The two-thirds discount for landlords means the cost of upgrading a rented property is shared rather than borne in full, which affects whether such work happens at all in the private rented sector, where the council says fewer than half of homes reached EPC 'C' or better in 20211.
The funding is finite and time-limited. The council states the £15.5 million must be used before it expires in March 2025, and that applications are handled on a first-come, first-served basis1. It has not been reported how many households the funding is expected to reach, nor what happens to applicants once the money is committed.
What happens next
The council says residents can check eligibility online or by phone, and that Everwarm will agree a combination of upgrades with applicants1. Applications are dealt with in the order they are received, and the funding expires in March 20251. No closing date for applications, and no end date for the scheme other than the funding expiry, has been reported.
Sources1 cited
- Council launches new scheme to help Leeds residents cut energy bills, news.leeds.gov.uk