Frequently Asked Questions: Warm Homes: Local Grant

Warm Homes: Local Grant is funding from the Government given to Local Authorities who submitted an Expression of Interest. The funding is available to improve the energy efficiency of homes in Lancashire to make them warmer and greener.

This is the energy rating of your home. To qualify for WH:LG, your home needs an EPC rating of D, E, F or G. The Cosy Homes team can check if your house has an EPC rating and if there isn’t, we will organise an EPC survey free of charge.

WH:LG is for properties with an energy rating of D, E, F, or G. Don’t worry if you don’t know your energy rating as we will check this for you.

Yes, you can apply if your gross household income is less than £36,000. Please contact our team if you would like to check your eligibility. We will need to take evidence of your income before the survey stage.

If your gross household income is less than £36,000 then you would be eligible to apply. For those in receipt of a means tested benefit, you would qualify automatically. If you're not sure, then contact Cosy Homes and the team will check your eligibility. WH:LG is not the only scheme we have available, so we may be help with something else. Please contact our team if you're uncertain.

Private tenants can apply if you are on a low income or in receipt of benefits - we would need to see evidence of both. You will need your Landlord’s permission for any work to be carried out, and your landlord may need to make a financial contribution. The maximum grant they could have is £15,000.

Landlords can apply, but you must have someone living in your house who meets the eligibility criteria. We would need to see evidence of your tenant's income/benefits. The maximum grant you can receive is £15,000 and you must contribute 50% towards the works. In some instances, your first property could be entitled to a 100% grant with no contribution.

The funding comes from the Central Government and is given to Local Authorities who successfully submitted an Expression of Interest. As it is a Government scheme, they set the rules which we must adhere to.

The application form is simple to complete. You can apply online, over the phone or request an application form to be sent to you. The team will do an initial assessment and let you know if you and your home qualify. If you're not eligible for WH:LG, we would look at other funding options for you.

The funding is available to make your house warmer. We offer loft insulation, solid wall insulation, room in roof insulation and cavity wall insulation. If your house has any single glazed windows or old wooden external doors, we can also replace these. WH:LG offers low carbon heating including air source heat pumps, solar PV and high heat retention storage heaters. A retrofit survey will establish the measures that are suitable for your property.

Following the retrofit survey, you will be advised in writing what measures your property qualifies for. If you agree to the measures, contractors will start the technical inspections and provide quotes. If you are having several measures, please expect multiple surveys in some, but not all, instances.

Unfortunately, we can only upgrade single glazed windows to new double glazed windows. This is a Government funding rule and though we know some older double glazing is inefficient, we cannot use the funding to upgrade it.

The grant will cover the full cost of all the eligible work identified during the retrofit process. You will not be asked to contribute.

Information you provide will be kept securely on our systems and will only be shared with partners working on the Cosy Homes in Lancashire scheme. This will be for the sole purpose of obtaining funding on your behalf for those measures which you have applied for.

The Cosy Homes team will contact you within 10 days to go through the eligibility process. If you and your house qualify, a retrofit survey will be organised by a member of our team. The surveyor will be happy to answer any questions you may have at this time. If you have not heard anything within 10 days, please ring 03306 061 488 or email [email protected]

We aim to improve the energy efficiency of your house, help you feel warmer and understand how to use your new heating systems effectively. However, the energy crisis means that household bills are increasing and this is something out of our control.

New heating systems on this scheme, such as air source heat pumps and high heat retention storage heaters, will replace your current main heating source. This means that in many instances, your current heating will be disconnected, or any secondary heating sources such as wood burners may not be compatible with your new system. Please discuss this with your installer before the work starts.

There are no conditions attached to WH:LG, so you can sell your house or move at any time after the work. Please keep any paperwork and guarantees in a safe place and pass them to any future owners/tenants.

When your measures have been formally agreed for funding, you have 3 months for the works to be carried out. If works are not completed within this time scale, your application will be cancelled. If delays are out of your control, then we may extend the time limit.

A retrofit survey is a Government requirement for all grant-funded schemes. A Retrofit Assessor will come to your home to do the survey and establish what measures are suitable for your home. Only those measures recommended by the Retrofit Assessor can be undertaken. The results will be explained to you, and if you agree, specialist installers will then do their own technical surveys. Please note that measures recommended in the retrofit survey may not be deemed possible at the technical survey stage. Upon completion of the work, you'll receive the appropriate warranties and guarantees.

Rhea Projects Ltd and Council Officers have undertaken an independent assessment of products and systems that we believe are the most appropriate to use on our scheme. We have worked closely with manufacturers to establish a list of Lancashire-based installers to work on our scheme. For each element of work on your property, you will have a technical survey from a specialist installer. Please expect several surveys if you are having insulation, windows and heating.

All work on your property will receive a technical inspection before the contractor is paid. If you are unhappy with any aspect of the work, please tell the surveyor at this stage so issues can be rectified. If a problem arises in the future, please ring the Cosy Homes team on 03306 061 488, who will organise a surveyor to visit.

All contractors working on the scheme must have the relevant Government certifications and must work to the Council’s strict Code of Conduct. For these reasons, you cannot choose your own contractor.

All WH:LG work goes through a certification process, so you will be given certificates for every element of the work. Please check your paperwork to ensure you have a guarantee for everything. If you don’t receive your paperwork or are unsure about anything, please contact our team on 03306 061 488.