WOMAN ’S KALPANA FITZPATRICK WILL SAVE YOU £££s
Get £1,000s to help your home go green
While we’re all keeping a close eye on our energy bills amid rising prices, you may also be thinking of ways you can make your home greener while also saving money. The great news is that there are grants out there worth £1,000s to help. Make sure you grab all you can this year.
INSULATE YOUR HOME
Keeping toasty indoors doesn’t have to cost a fortune. The government’s Great British Insulation Scheme offers discounted and free home insulation. To be eligible, you generally need to be living in a home with a lower council tax band or with low energy efficiency. Visit gov.uk/apply-great-british-insulation-scheme to see if you can get help with anything from cavity wall insulation or loft insulation, to underfloor insulation.
UPGRADE YOUR BOILER
SAVE £385 A YEAR
If your boiler needs to be changed, you may want to replace it with an eco-friendly heat pump. You can get a grant worth £7,500 towards the cost from the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme (gov.uk/apply-boiler-upgrade-scheme). The grant will only cover around 50% of your outlay, as installation is around £14,000 on average. However, you could save around £385 a year* using an air-source heat pump instead of a gas boiler, and you’ll be doing your bit for the planet. You’ll need to apply for a grant via an installer – find one at mcscertified.com/find-an-installer.
SOLAR ENERGY
EARN £80-£200 A YEAR
Solar panels are one of the easiest ways to cut your energy costs and reduce your carbon footprint. Installation can cost around £7,000 on average. Panels are best suited for a south-facing roof. East- and west-facing may be possible, but a north-facing roof is generally unsuitable. You also typically need 20m2 of roof space. They work on cloudy days, so there’s no need to worry about the weather. As well as saving on bills you can also earn around £80 to £200 exporting back what you don’t use. Find out what your supplier will pay you by visiting solarenergyuk. org/resource/smart-export-guarantee.
SAVE WATER
Depending on where you live, you could get a free box of water-saving devices for your home. Visit savewatersavemoney. co.uk and to see if one is available to you. It’s also worth checking with your water supplier to see if it offers any freebies
