Energy efficiency and fuel poverty (original) (raw)

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​If you spend more than 10% of your income to regularly heat your home, you are considered to be in fuel poverty. You can find out more about fuel poverty on the Welsh Government website.

You could reduce your household energy bills by making some changes to your daily habits. You can find energy saving tips on the Climate Action Wales website.

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Help with energy bills

If you are finding it difficult to pay your gas and electricity bills, please contact your supplier. They may be able to help with:

• a full payment plan review,
• affordable debt repayment plans,
• payment breaks,
• payment reductions,
• more time to pay, or
• access to hardship funds.

Switching supplier

You could reduce your energy bills by switching your tariff or supplier. You can find more information about switching energy suppliers on Ofgem’s website. You do not need to own your home to switch suppliers.

Money Advice Team

Phone: 02920 871 071

Pre-payment meters

You could find it easier to manage your energy bills by asking your supplier to install a pre-payment meter. A pre-payment meter lets you pay as you go for the energy you use. You will not be charged more than customers on direct billing.

An updated code of practice has recently been introduced by Ofgem, to explain the new rules that suppliers must follow before pre-payment meters are installed in homes.

Understanding your fuel bills

If you are finding it difficult to read or understand your energy bills, National Energy Action (NEA) have leaflets that can show you:

• how to read your gas and electricity meters
• how to read your gas bill
• how to read your electricity bill​

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Improving your home’s energy efficiency

You can view the different ways you could improve your home’s energy efficiency.

Welsh Government Warm Homes Nest Scheme

The Welsh Government Warm Homes Nest scheme makes Welsh homes warmer and more energy efficient places to live.

Nest can provide all households in Wales with free, impartial advice to help you:

• reduce your energy bills,
• maximise your income, and
• lower your carbon footprint.

You could also be eligible for free home energy efficiency improvements such as:

• insulation,
• a heat pump, or
• solar panels.

Freephone: 0808 808 2244

ECO4 (The Energy Company Obligation)

If you own or privately rent you home, you could get funding for energy efficiency improvements. You can find out more on Ofgem’s website.

Connected for Warmth

You could get funding towards loft and cavity wall insulation if your home is:

• an A to D council tax band, or
• Energy Performance Certificate rating C or below

Boiler Upgrade Scheme

If you own your home, you could get a grant of up to £6000 to upgrade your heating to a more efficient system. You can find out more on GOV UK’s website.

The Great British Insulation Scheme

You could get free home insulation if:

• you are on a low income,
• your home has an Energy Performance Certificate rating of D or below, or
• your home is an A to D council tax band.

Warm Wales

Warm Wales can offer free advice and support to all residents in Wales. You can find out more on Warm Wales’s website.

Help with condensation and mould

A build-up of moisture in your home could result in mould. You can avoid this by both heating and ventilating your home.

You could reduce the moisture in your home by:

• keeping the lids on pans when you cook,
• drying clothes outside instead of on a radiator,
• venting your tumble dryer outside,
• avoiding using paraffin heaters or bottled gas heaters, and
• taking cooler showers and baths.

You can let moist air out of your home and fresh air in, by:

• using extractor fans to get rid of moist air and reduce condensation build up, and
• keeping your kitchen or bathroom door shut and windows open when cooking or bathing.

You could improve your home’s warmth by:

• installing loft insulation (to the recommended depth of 270mm),
• draught-proofing your windows and doors,
• installing cavity wall insulation if your home is suitable for it, and
• installing double glazing on draughty windows

You should also heat rooms that you do not use, as colder rooms are more likely to get damp and mould. A healthy home temperature is between 18 to 23 degrees Celsius.

Renewable energy generation

You could get a grant from Smart Export Guarantee if you are interested in generating your own electricity from:

• solar,
• wind,
• hydro, or
• ground or air heat.

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ECO4 LA Flex (Local Authority Flexible Eligibility Scheme)​

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Funding is available to private tenure households (owner-occupier and private rental) for energy efficiency measures.

You may be eligible if you have a household income less than £31k and live in an energy-inefficient home.

Cardiff Council has partnered with EON on the delivery of ECO4 LA Flex. All applications should be made via EON website​, or by phone.

Phone: 0333 202 4422

The Statement of Intent sets out Cardiff Council’s flexible eligibility criteria for ECO4 LA Flex:

Cardiff Council ECO Flexible Eligibility Statement of Intent​

Please note that meeting the Council’s flexible eligibility criteria, and the issuing of a Declaration by Cardiff Council, does not guarantee the installation of measures. The final decision will lie with the Energy Supplier who will fund and deliver installations.