Warm homes scheme

Many of the discount and energy grant schemes previously offered by Dartford Borough Council closed at the end of September 2022

The closed schemes included:

  • Energy Company Obligation 3 (ECO3)
  • Local Authority Delivery Scheme 1b (LAD1b)
  • Local Authority Delivery Scheme 2 (LAD2)
  • First Time Central Heating Scheme (Warm Home Fund)

Discount and Energy Grant Schemes:

To qualify for grant funded schemes, residents will be required to meet the fuel poverty definition (Low Income Low Energy Efficiency- LILEE) or be in receipt of certain benefits or be on a low income with a vulnerability to living in a cold home due to age/health conditions.

 If you believe you meet the criteria, please contact  to request a form.

 If you do meet the criteria, and the council are able to make a referral, the type of measure and the amount of financial assistance is dependent on survey by the contractor.

ECO Local Authority Flexible Eligibility;

Latest changes to ECO (ECO4) enables Local Authorities to refer residents for assistance who are in fuel poverty, on a low income or are vulnerable to living in a cold home due to age/health conditions and who have previously not qualified for assistance under previous benefit based schemes .

It now includes a wider package of assistance for residents who are in fuel poverty, on a low income or are vulnerable to living in a cold home due to age/health conditions. The additional eligibility criteria are set out under the Dartford Borough Council Flexible Eligibility Statement of Intent.

The Dartford Borough Council Flexible Eligibility Statement of Intent sets out the additional eligibility criteria.

Dartford Borough Council ECO4 Flex Statement of Intent version 3 (22 June 2022)

ECO – flexible eligibility – Statement of Intent version 2 (superseded 22 June 2022)

ECO – flexible eligibility – Statement of Intent version 1 (superseded 7 June 2018)

For further information please contact us Online: Contact the Environmental Promotions Team or call 01322 343056.

Winter Warmth Grant:

This grant is intended to reduce the number of cold homes occupied by older people with long term health conditions. It can be used to pay for heating (normally replacement boilers) where the applicant fulfils specific criteria including having a long term illness. The maximum grant is £2,500. Confirmation is required from a health professional that the applicant has a long term health condition.

Renewable Heat Incentive

The Domestic RHI is now closed to new applicants (01 April 2022), and is being replaced by the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS).

If you are already accredited for Domestic RHI, the support for accredited installations will not be affected by this closure, providing you continue to meet all your ongoing obligations under the scheme rules. The Duration of your RHI payments will remain the same and will be in line with your date of accreditation.

You can find out more about your ongoing obligations in Chapter 3 of the Domestic RHI: Essential Guide.

Boiler Upgrade Scheme

From the 01 April 2022 the boiler upgrade Scheme (BUS) will launch.

BUS is a government funded scheme that will provide grants to encourage property owners to install low carbon heating systems such as heat pumps. These grants will help overcome the upfront cost of low carbon heating technologies.

The Scheme will be open to domestic and small non-domestic properties in England and Wales. It will run from 2022 to 2025.

Please visit the website for more information about the scheme.

Boiler Upgrade Scheme Voucher Application Form is available  on Ofgem’s website at: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/boiler-upgrade-scheme-voucher-application-form

Winter Fuel Payments:

Government Funded: £100 - £300 per eligible household. If you have reached the qualifying age (born on or before 5 October 1954) and lived in the UK between week 20–26 September 2021 (called the qualifying week). You usually get a Winter Fuel Payment automatically if you get the State Pension or another social security benefit (not Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit or Universal Credit). Most payments are made automatically between November and December.

Warm Home Discount Scheme:

Warm Home Discount Scheme is a one off discount of £140.00 on your electricity bill (usually between September and March)

You should automatically qualify if on 4 July 2021 you were getting the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, your electricity supplier is part of the scheme and your name (or partner’s) was on the bill.You should receive a letter, if not contact the Warm Home Discount Scheme on 0800 7310214. You may also qualify if you’re on a low income/get certain means tested benefits – check with your supplier to see if you’re eligible.

The discount won’t affect your Cold Weather Payment or Winter Fuel Payment.

Cold Weather Payments:

The 2021 to 2022 Cold Weather Payment scheme has now ended. Next year’s scheme will start on 1 November 2022. You’ll be able to check if your area is due a payment in November 2022.

You may get a Cold Weather Payment if you’re getting certain benefits.  Payments are made when your local temperature is either recorded as, or forecast to be, an average of zero degrees Celsius or below over 7 consecutive days.

You’ll get a payment of £25 for each 7 day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March.  Payments will be paid within 14 working days into the same bank/ building society as your benefit payments.

Priority Services Register:

The Priority Services Register (PSR) is a free service provided by suppliers and network operators (UK Power Networks, SGN) to customers in need (each supplier and network maintain their own register).  The PSR is available to residents who are of pensionable age, disabled or chronically sick, have a long-term medical condition, have a hearing or visual impairment or additional communication needs, are in a vulnerable situation.  To be added to the Priority Services Register contact your energy supplier/ network provider.

Cold Weather Priority Initiative:

The UK and Ireland Fuel Distributors Association has launched a Cold Weather Priority (CWP) Initiative for the off-grid sector this October. This initiative has been developed to identify those most at risk, and ensure delivery to these customers can be prioritised during periods of extreme cold, or fuel shortages. Check if your local supplier is involved visit https://ukifda.org/cold-weather-priority-initiative or contact your nearest distributor – https://ukifda.org/find-a-distributor.

Water Hardship Fund

A new fund to help vulnerable customers who may be struggling financially or need additional help in some way, such as with repairs in the home or white goods.

  • Up to 50% one year bill reduction for customers who have hit temporary hard times.
  • Debt write-off of up to £2,000 for customers who have managed to get back on track with payments but will never be able to repay their debt.
  • Grant of up to £1,000 to make improvements to a customer’s home (this might be the purchase of white goods that a customer cannot afford to replace, repairs to heating or water systems that they cannot afford, etc.)

For further details contact your local water supplier for your area.

Support with energy cost arrears:

Some utility companies offer help to customers who are struggling to pay their energy bills. See if your energy provider can offer you some help:

For further information please contact us Online: Contact the Environmental Promotions Team or call 01322 343056.

May 2022 Cold Calling Information:

The Council is aware that residents are being 'cold called' by energy efficiency measure companies claiming to have had their contact details passed on by Dartford Borough Council. The Council does not share personal data in an unexpected or potentially intrusive way, or in a way that is incompatible with its purposes, which are clearly set out in its Privacy Notices.