Home energy help for residents

Citizen’s Advice Heat Bank

The Department for Work and Pensions has launched a Household Support Fund to help residents most in need with food, energy, water and wider essential costs.

Citizens Advice Cheshire West are able to use their portion of this funding to help vulnerable households and individuals via the heating bank. You can apply for help on the Citizens Advice website.

Green Doctor Scheme

Green Doctors offer free, impartial advice to help people take control of their bills, save energy in the home and access other services and initiatives available.

Their support includes the installation of small energy saving measures such as draughtproofing and radiator foils, help with boiler and heating controls, smart meters, water meters, fuel and water debt, registration on suppliers PSR, grants, behavioural change advice, referrals for free gas safety checks and financial assistance where available.

The scheme is open to residents across Cheshire West and Chester with a focus on families and individuals who:

• have a low household income
• living with debt
• aged over 65
• living with a health condition affected by the cold
• living with mental illness
• living with dementia
• have a disability
• young people and families containing children under the age of five
• pregnant women
• people in emergency accommodation
• living in poor housing conditions

More information about this service can be found on the Ground Work website. Alternatively, you can contact the team by email or phone:

• Email: greendoctor.CLM@groundwork.org.uk
• Phone: 0330 1740 863

Local Energy Advice Program (LEAP)

LEAP offers free Home Energy visits or in-depth advice calls to people across Cheshire West who are vulnerable to living in a cold home. The service can help with:

• installing simple measures such as radiator panels, LED light bulbs, draughtproofing for doors, windows and letterboxes, cylinder jackets, chimney balloons and TV standby savers
• providing energy efficiency advice and training on the use of heating controls
• identifying the need for larger energy efficiency measures and seeking funding
• switching energy supplier
• referring for income maximisation support
• identifying other hazards and vulnerabilities in the home and making the referral onto the appropriate agency.

You can apply online to the following energy schemes to help with your home heating and appliances:

• Fully funded boilers are available to eligible homeowners with a broken gas boiler through the ECHO scheme
• First time gas central heating is available to eligible residents through Connected for Warmth
• Fully funded white goods are also available through the HEART scheme, during the winter months while funding lasts

The scheme is open to all types of householders; homeowners, private renters and social housing tenants across Cheshire West.

Contact Energy Projects Plus to apply for a free Home Energy visit or call the Save Energy Advice Line on Freephone 0800 043 0151.

The North West Net Zero Hub

This group supports organisations across the North West to identify, develop and implement energy projects. You can learn more about the programmes they offer, types of projects they support or to sign up to their newsletter by visiting their website.