PRESS RELEASE : Bespoke energy advice to help thousands of hard-to-reach households save on bills [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 12 August 2023.

Households across the country will benefit from specialist face-to-face advice on how to make their home more energy efficient and save on their energy bills.

Households across the country will benefit from specialist in-person advice on how to make their home more energy efficient and save on their energy bills.

Backed by £20 million of government funding, 36 pilot services will trial new ways to get expert advice out to those that need it most, with more than 125,000 households to benefit across England.

This will be particularly targeted at those in hard-to-treat homes, such as listed buildings, as well as those who are hard to reach, such as the elderly and people who do not have internet access.

In Birmingham, locals will be able to pop into new energy cafes across the city to find out how to make their homes more efficient. The initiative, backed by over £800,000, aims to make the advice accessible to more people over a friendly chat.

Elsewhere, a new ‘green doctor’, backed by £302,000, will be offering ‘home check-ups’ for older and low-income households in North Yorkshire and Cumbria to advise on which energy efficiency measures would be beneficial in their homes.

This is expected to help more than 19,000 households install retrofit measures, ranging from loft and cavity wall insulation to draught proofing, better heating controls, and new heat pumps.

It forms the latest in a series of support to help households keep their bills down, as part of the government’s efforts to cut inflation.

Other projects to receive funding today include a retrofit electric bus to bring on-the-road energy saving tips to customers around North Yorkshire. While in Lincolnshire, an electric energy van will travel to rural areas of the county to explain how government schemes can help people reduce their energy use.

Amanda Solloway, Minister for Energy Consumers and Affordability, said:

We want everyone to be able to get expert advice on how to make their homes more energy efficient, no matter where they live, so they can save money.

These innovative projects will bring that expertise right to people’s doorsteps, quite literally in some cases, ensuring people are given the best advice on how to save money on their bills and heat their homes for less without needing to search for it.

This is alongside our investment of billions of pounds to improve energy efficiency across the country – reducing bills at the same time as making sure Britain’s homes are fit for the future.

Schools and community hubs will also be put to use in projects across the country to help pass on energy advice and support for households.

Energy efficiency remains the best approach to reducing fuel poverty in the long-term, contributing to warmer homes and reduced energy bills, while helping to cut carbon emissions.

The new initiative launched today will help households to access these benefits – particularly the elderly and those without internet access, or in listed buildings and rural areas.

Mike Thornton, Chief Executive at Energy Saving Trust said:

It’s good news that the government is moving to increase targeted support for those most in need. Personalised advice is crucial in empowering people to confidently make the right changes in their home.

With our 30 years’ experience delivering advice schemes across the UK we know that funding is most effective when combined with personalised energy efficiency advice.

National Energy Action chief executive Adam Scorer said:

Energy advice has never been more important, at National Energy Action, we know the vital role local charities play in supporting their communities on the ground.

This programme recognises the key role of local projects, especially to support households with limited access to internet, who all too often miss out on advice. As our own local fuel poverty awareness events show, you really can’t overstate the effectiveness of in-person advice.

Today’s support comes on top of the resources launched earlier this year, including an online Find ways to save energy in your home tool and a new energy efficiency phoneline to help households get quick and accurate information on retrofitting their home.

Households can also access a range of government support for retrofit upgrades to their homes, including the Home Upgrade Grant and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, as well as ECO4 and The Great British Insulation Scheme.

The support forms part of the government’s £6.6 billion energy efficiency drive, with a further £6 billion committed from 2025 to 2028.