Enjoy the advantages of enhancing your insulation, upgrading your heating system, or installing renewable energy solutions.
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#WarmHomesLocalDorset
NB. Living in Dorset does not automatically qualify you. Although this funding is for BCP Council and Dorset Council areas, if applying under the Qualifying Area criteria, you must check if your postcode applies, as only the 2 lowest of the poorest ward areas, known as Lower Super Output Areas, qualify under this specific criteria. Please refer to the eligibility criteria.
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All measures and funding are subject to survey, terms and conditions.
Dorset Council and BCP Council have launched the Warm Homes: Local Grant, which is designed to improve the energy efficiency of qualifying homes across Dorset.
The scheme enables homeowners and private renters to access funded energy saving measures such as, insulation, heating upgrades and renewable energy technologies. The Warm Homes: Local Grant will help reduce energy use and fuel costs for qualifying residents, who live in a lower energy rated home (EPC D to G), live in the BCP Council or Dorset Council area and meet one of the other grant criteria.
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The scheme will also help BCP and Dorset Council achieve their pledge to take action to address the climate emergency and will help towards the reductions in energy use needed to meet the UK's 2050 Net Zero targets.
Warm Homes: Local Grant is funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
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Ridgewater Energy, based in Dorset are contracted to deliver the Warm Homes: Local Grant for Dorset Council & BCP Council areas. Ridgewater Energy's team are experienced in delivering energy efficiency, fuel poverty and retrofit schemes throughout Dorset and work with a network of trusted & vetted installers.
Am I Eligible?
We understand the criteria can be complex, we encourage you to phone us to help determine if you could be eligible for this funding. Alternatively, please refer to the steps below in order to determine eligibility:
You must be a Homeowner or Private Tenant
Annual household income threshold, qualifying benefit and qualifying area, are standalone criteria. Only Dorset Council or BCP Council residents qualify. Even if your household income is over £36,000 and you don’t receive benefits, if you live in a qualifying postcode area, you may still qualify regardless of income as long as you meet the other criteria EPC (D-G) and you are a homeowner or private tenant.​ NB. Not ALL of Dorset postcodes fall under the qualifying area criteria. If your postcode is not in a qualifying area, this does not discount you from obtaining funding under a different qualifying criteria.
Apply
​Complete the APPLICATION FORM or PHONE 0300 003 7023
The information you provide us with must be true and accurate to the best of your knowledge and belief and you are aware that active fraud protection will be conducted during the operation of the Warm Homes: Local Grant. We will ask for evidence of your proof of income, benefits received including bank statements, P60's, payslips for any and all accounts for example. Terms and conditions apply.
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Apply now and one of our fully trained energy advisors will be in touch.
What Measures Are Available?
Energy saving measures available include insulation, heating and renewable energy upgrades. You may require a package of measures, or we may only be able to offer you a limited number of measures, as we must keep the average project spend below a certain level, which is a requirement of the funding. Our fully trained assessors will help determine which measures will benefit your property most.
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Click on the relevant tile for more information about the measure and the installation process.
How it works?
1. Phone Assessment
We begin with a telephone assessment where we determine whether you and your property may be eligible, subject to further checks.
2. Home Visit
If eligible, we will book you in for a home visit, where we capture data about you and your property and carry out a new Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
3. Advice
We will provide you with advice on the package of measures which is permitted, technically possible and covered by the grants funding.
4. Assessment
We will carry out a retrofit assessment of your property. Once eligible measures have been agreed, these will then be followed by technical surveys from the installer.
5. Funding Approval
Once we know the measures are feasible and installers prices are provided, we will seek funding approval.
6. Installation
Once approval is received, we will notify you and the installers so that the installation of these measures can be arranged.
7. Completion
On completion, we will contact you and arrange a visit to complete a post works EPC (Energy Performance Certificate), to fill out a customer satisfaction form and ensure you have all relevant paperwork.
8. Results
​You can now enjoy your new improved, healthier, energy efficient property! Costing you less to heat, whilst doing your bit for the planet!
You may require a package of measures in order for your property to be sufficiently improved, which is a requirement of the funding. Qualifying owner occupier households will not be expected to contribute towards the costs of any eligible works which are deemed to be covered by the grant. There are limits to the funding and to the number of certain measures that we can complete, this may mean in some cases there may be some measures which will not be possible under the grant. If there are additional works not covered by WH:LG that the client would still like to go ahead with then this would need to be a separate arrangement between the client and the installer. All grant and measure eligibility is subject to change, scheme rules and funding approval. All works are subject to survey and measures may not be installed if they are deemed to increase, rather than reduce your energy consumption. We also have access to other funding streams, which we may use from time to time and that may be more suitable for your circumstances. Terms and conditions apply. Please note - This grant does not pay for any works outside of this grant, that you may have already done or are planning to do. Only works that are identified, approved and installed under this grant are covered up to the limits of the funding. Landlords - Private rented sector landlords may receive one tenanted property fully funded under Warm Homes: Local Grant. Additional properties will require a 50% contribution towards to the cost of the surveys, assessment and the works. There is a limit to how many properties a landlord can have improved, including limits to the overall funding itself and limits on the amount of assistance that can be given under the government state aid limit, which currently stands at £335,000 across three financial years. Tenant properties must have a qualifying tenant living in the property and if the property's EPC is an F or G, the landlord will need to have a lawful MEES (Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards) exemption registered. It is unlikely that we will consider new applications from private landlords for Warm Homes Local Grant in Dorset Year 1 (April 2025 to March 2026), due to high levels of existing applications for the scheme and due to the funding levels received.
Healthy Homes Dorset is funded by BCP Council, Dorset Council and Public Health Dorset and is delivered by Ridgewater Energy.
Helping Dorset residents to keep warm and healthy in their homes by providing access to free energy advice and funding for energy saving measures, such as cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, heating measures and enabling works. Those who live in Dorset, have a health condition, are aged over 65, or has a child under 5, is pregnant or on a low income, could be eligible. *List not exhaustive.