An energy MOT tool has been launched by the government to help families assess the energy demands of their homes.
The new government site allows families to key in information to discover ways they can make their houses more energy efficient – and cheaper to run. The new tool comes amid spiralling energy price rises putting pressure on households across the UK.
We’ve put together this guide on how the new site works, alongside additional tools and resources to help you navigate the energy crisis.
The government’s new online hub provides homeowners with recommendations on home improvements they can make to lower their energy bills.
Each recommendation suggests a way to improve your home’s energy efficiency, such as installing an air source heat pump or installing new insulation. It'll also give you a breakdown of the costs involved. This includes the estimated cost of making the improvement, by how much it could lower your bills, and the next steps towards installation.
To give your home an 'energy MOT' you’ll need to input details such as your home's glazing and boiler type as well as your house type, when it was built and what existing insulation is in place. The more information you share will help create a more accurate assessment for recommendations to be made.
The government aims to roll out 600,000 heat pumps per year into homes by 2028, which can provide your home with a low-carbon heating system that is cheaper to run in the long-term than a natural gas boiler. It is therefore worth knowing if your home is suitable for a heat pump to be installed.
That’s why the government has also created this handy heat pump tool for homeowners to check whether a heat pump could work in their home. There’s also this quick suitability checker from Nu-Heat you can use.
For both tools you’ll again need information on your house type and existing energy efficiency credentials, such as your glazing and insulation status.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme
Once you’ve discovered whether your home is suitable for a heat pump, try applying to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to receive a grant of up to £6,000 off the cost of a heat pump.
The scheme is set to run until 2025 and is expected to benefit around 90,000 homes.
Energy Company Obligation
Designed to help low-income and vulnerable companies afford energy-efficient home improvements, the Energy Company Obligation, or ECO scheme, can provide homeowners with funding for insulation (roof, cavity wall and solid wall) and boiler replacements or repairs.
Energy Grant
Not so much a tool, but the £400 energy grant payments will begin from October, and payments will depend on how you pay for your energy.
The government confirmed on Friday that payments will be delivered over six months, and that plans are in place for renters and those that do not have a domestic electricity meter to benefit from the grant too.
