Leeds Homes Level Up with City Council’s Energy-Saving Scheme
Leeds City Council has launched a brand-new scheme to help Leeds residents reduce their energy bills. This scheme is going to allow hundreds of Leeds homeowners, rents and landlords without gas central heating to access energy saving measures which will be installed free of charge or at a significant discount. This has been created by a partnership between the council’s Home Energy Help team and Everwarm Ltd. The upgrades will include solar panels, heat pumps, electric radiators and different types of insulation. Everwarm has agreed to work with applicants to find what combination of upgrades will work best for them. However, the applications are on a first come, first served basis so residents are being encouraged to discover if they are eligible to benefit by using the council’s new online service.
To understand the impact of this scheme further, an interview with Chad Newton, the Senior Policy and Communications Officer at Leeds City Council, was conducted:
How do you believe this is going to have a positive impact on the citizens of Leeds?
“Tackling heat waste from our homes is a win-win-win. It helps household finances by reducing fuel bills, improves our health by making it easier to keep homes at a more comfortable temperature in summer and winter, and it is good for the planet too because it helps to tackle the quarter of the city’s carbon footprint that comes from the energy used to heat and power residential buildings.
“While some homeowners can afford to invest in energy-saving measures with the right financial and technical advice, we know that many others will need additional support to access the benefits of green home upgrades. As a council, we’re determined to make it easier for Leeds homeowners and landlords to access the Home Energy Help they need to save money and cut carbon.
“We would strongly encourage residents to take five minutes to check their eligibility online or phone while this funding is available.”
What has the uptake on this scheme been so far?
“Since launching the scheme just last month, thousands of people have visited our webpage to find out more about the scheme and more than a hundred people have applied and passed the initial eligibility checks. We are working to process every application whilst at the same time continuing to promote the scheme.”
How popular do you think it will be?
“We know from experience that energy efficiency support schemes like this one are popular, but the real challenge will be to ensure that enough eligible people are aware of it and sign up by the end of the year.
“The eligibility criteria set by the government for this latest funding means that most households in Leeds won’t be able to benefit, unfortunately, but there are still thousands of households in Leeds that will qualify. We have said publicly that we can upgrade around 500 eligible properties before the money expires if we receive applications in good time.
“We’ll continue to promote the scheme throughout the year so that we have the best chance of helping as many residents as possible.”
How do you think this is going to impact the eco footprint of the citizens of Leeds?
“Based on data supplied to us by WWF in 2019, it is estimated that the average person in Leeds emits around 2.3 tonnes of carbon from the energy used to heat and power their homes. By upgrading some of the least efficient homes with energy-saving measure (like different kinds of insulation, solar panels, and electric heat pumps) we can reduce the carbon footprint (and bills) of the residents we help by a significant amount.”
While this scheme is only lasting until the end of 2024, it seems that it is going to have a positive impact on both the people of Leeds and their carbon footprint. To find out further information or to see if you are eligible, visit the Leeds government website and take the 5-minute test or speak to your landlord.