Do you have a home that needs a central heating system? The government’s fully funded First-time Central Heating Grants may be the answer to your prayers. This grant is available for properties that have never had central heating before where the homeowner or tenant meets eligibility rules.
The First Time Central Heating Grant is a grant associated with the Energy Company Obligation (ECO). ECO is a government scheme that is funded by utility companies. This part of ECO assists low-income communities so they may access funding to install a central heating system in their homes.
You need not worry about the payback of the central heating system because it is a grant, not a loan. The grant is enough to cover a large part or all of the cost of installing central heating in your home but you must compare central heating cover so you can know the offerings in the market.
But if your home is large enough, you need some money along with the grant to meet your costs. Iraye Group will show you how you can have access to a first-time central heating grant and how much it could be helpful for you.
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Who can qualify for First Time Central Heating Grant?
If you can meet the requirements set by the government, no one can stop you from having this wonderful opportunity. Under this scheme, the government could provide you with the money to install central heating in your home for the first time. However, you can not get a grant if you already have a central heating system.
The rules for your eligibility for a First Time Central Heating Grant are the same as those for the ECO scheme. The ECO Scheme is part of the government’s plan to reduce carbon emissions from homes while also assisting low-income households in properly heating their homes.
Similar to the ECO scheme, to qualify you must be a homeowner or a private renter. And the property must also meet the rules about its Energy Performance Certificate rating.
What are the criteria to qualify for the First Time Central Heating Grant?
There are four ways in which you can qualify under ECOFlex rules, but it must be first approved by your local authority. These four ways are:
You must be a homeowner or a tenant living in a privately rented home. Only those homes with an EPC rating of D, E, F, or G for homeowners and E, F or G for private tenants are eligible for central heating grants. Those householders rent their homes from a local council or a housing association. And those in shared ownership homes, do not qualify for the first-time central heating grants scheme. Secondly, your home must have an existing mains gas supply.
- If Your total household income is below £31,000 as this grant is especially for them. It identifies as struggling with sustained debt on utility bills and mortgage payments. And it is been referre to the Local Authority for support by Citizens Advice. Your energy supplier, or your mortgage lender for low-income families. Or a householder receives free school meals.
- You will be eligible for this grant if a member of your household is vulnerable to living in a cold home. A member of your family is referred under a Local Authority run scheme that supports low-income and vulnerable households.
- To qualify for your First Time Central Heating Grants, either you or someone living permanently. You must receive at least one of the following State Benefits, Tax Credits, or Other Allowances unless you qualify under the ECO Flex Rules:
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- Pension Credit or Guarantee Credit
- Pension Credit or Savings Credit
- A Universal Credit
- A Child Tax Credit
- A Working Tax Credit
- An Income Support
- ESA or the Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance
- JSA or the Income-Based Job Seeker’s Allowance
- Child Benefit or housing benefit.
- Your home must be insulated to qualify for one of the First Time Central Heating Grants
If your home is well insulated internally or externally, you can qualify for this grant. You must have adequate loft insulation installed and if it has cavity walls, it must have cavity wall insulation installed.
If you don’t have either of these installed on your home insulation at the time you apply for your First Time Central Heating Grant, the installer of your new central heating system may arrange it for you. Sometimes such installations are funded, and sometimes you have to contribute some amount.
How do you apply for a First Time Central Heating Grant?
Once you apply online for it, a registered installer will contact you to check whether you meet all the necessary criteria or not. They will check what benefits you receive and confirm your status regarding your current residence. They will also ask you about the energy efficiency in your home and possible details of your EPC.
To qualify for first-time central heating grants, the new central heating system will be install. That provides space heating through a boiler connected to radiators.
Will First Time Heating Grants help me save money?
One of the main purposes of the First Time Central Heating Grants is to assist those homeowners. Who may have inefficient heating in their homes and give them future savings on their energy bills? The earlier methods of heating, such as old electric heating systems, can be highly inefficient and expensive to run. So a new central heating system will inevitably make a difference.
A new central heating system will usually run at an energy efficiency level of 90% plus. While the older heating such as heating through electric systems can have efficiency levels way below 70%. The estimate for a new central heating system could help you save as much as £300 annually on the cost of heating your home.
Final Thoughts
The First Time Central Heating Grant is an excellent, fully funded, government-supported grant. This is a big step for the government with the partnership of private associations towards the betterment of citizens, particularly low-income ones.
By meeting the above-mentioned prerequisites, every-low income family can apply for it. We at the Iraye Group hope that this blog post will help you a lot to understand the First Time Central Heating Grant System.
