The Conservative Party recently revealed plans for a UK Energy Makeover should they get into power. This nationwide makeover would involve the installation of loft and wall insulation and new energy efficient boilers into every property and although this sounds like a great idea you may be asking how is it going to be paid for? Apparently, the Government are going to lend the gas and electricity companies enough money to complete the upgrades – which are estimated to cost between £1700 and £6000 per home – and the household will be required to pay back the cost in small chunks over the next 25 years! According to the figures released by the Government, the average house would require around £1700 worth of energy efficient improvements and the householders would be expected to pay for this at a rate of around £70 per year. Saying this, the estimations show that the improvements would reduce the average family fuel bill by around £230 per year which will leave the householder £160 in profit. If these figures can be substantiated then the proposed Energy Makeover would benefit everyone however it must be remembered that they are based on the average household and there are plenty of households in the UK that aren’t average. Additional Benefits of the Energy Makeover As well as saving every household money on their fuel bills, the Conservatives list a number of other benefits to their plans, including the creation of thousands of jobs, more competitiveness in the energy supply market and the reduction of the UK’s CO2 emissions by a large percentage. They also mention the fact that the UK will need to train thousands of skilled engineers to cope with the upgrades and this will provide an ongoing stream of skilled tradesmen for years to come – a problem that the country is beginning to struggle with even now. The Conservatives also want the UK to become more reliant on renewable energy sources as opposed to oil and gas imports from countries such as Russia. As an incentive there would be large Government grants available to homes who choose to invest in renewable energy sources such as wind turbines and solar panels and there would be a network of free recharging stations for all new electric and hybrid cars. The Future with the Conservatives According to David Cameron the Conservative plans aim to make the UK a low-carbon economy and the proposed makeover will be the start to a carbon-free existence. Environmental experts say that the plans are workable however they will require the co-operation of the entire nation and the major gas and electricity suppliers – many of which aren’t actually UK companies. As I see it, the average household will be happy to pay for the improvements as they will be saving around £160 on their fuel bills each year but what about the elderly or those that live alone and have small fuel bills to start with – will they actually save the £70 per year that they will be required to pay for the improvements? There are a lot of loose ends with the Energy Makeover Plans but hopefully they will be sorted before the Conservatives gain control. Guest Article by Clare Lynock

It’s a well known fact that today’s government doesn’t hand out freebies very often however they do have a relatively good scheme to help some households with their central heating and boiler needs. There are three separate government heating grants available to apply for, these being:

• The central heating grant,
• The cavity wall insulation grant,
• The loft insulation grant.

The main grant is the central heating grant and the particulars are covered by the Warm Front Scheme. This grant can pay up to £2700 for central heating installation and boiler replacement however there are some quite strict criteria for applicants to meet. For example, to get a free grant your household has to have either a person of 60+ years, a child under the age of 16 or a pregnant woman with a valid maternity certificate. In addition, the household also has to receive at least one of the following benefits:
• Income support,
• Housing benefit,
• Council Tax benefit but not single person occupancy,
• Pension credit,
• Job seekers allowance.

Other householders that don’t meet the above criteria can still apply for the central heating grant however they have to be in receipt of one of these benefits:
• Working tax credit,
• Child tax credit,
• Attendance allowance,
• Housing benefit,
• Income support,
• Council tax benefit.

All of the benefits have conditions attached and it may be that you receive them but still don’t qualify for the grant. Saying that it doesn’t cost anything to apply and you can do it easily online, plus you might be awarded a partial grant even if you don’t get the full amount. People who don’t receive any of the mentioned benefits can also apply and they can often get up to £300 to help with central heating costs. The grant is awarded to the property and so if a previous owner has already applied for and been awarded a grant then you won’t be eligible for another one.

The other two government grants – the cavity wall insulation and the loft insulation grants – have the same kind of restrictions if you want the full amount however even those people who don’t receive benefits can claim between 40-70% of the total cost of installation from the government. This is well worth doing as 35% of your home’s heat is lost through the walls and another 25% disappears through the roof. If you can get a 70% grant then you personally will only have to pay around £100 to insulate your house – an amount which will easily be saved in the first year alone on heating bills.

The government have made it easy to apply for the various Heating grants and there are numerous websites available that will actually apply for you. All you need to do is fill in some details and let them do the rest. Even if you don’t think you qualify it’s worth a few minutes to fill in a form as you never know what the person at the other end will decide.

Guest Article by Clare Lynock

Let’s be honest, and there’s no good way to say this, if you don’t insulate your loft, you might as well stand on your doorstep every winter and throw out a couple of bundles of tenners.

It’s what our cousins across the Atlantic call a no brainer. No insulation, money wasted. And maybe no planet either, as you’re not doing your bit to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Loft insulation is one of the most efficient ways to save the heat escaping from your home.

Heat rises and when you have a house that effectively is not wearing a hat, it will escape into the sky without a thought about your bank balance.

It is estimated that over 25% of the heat your are generating can be lost through a loft that is not insulated. Just think about it, a quarter of the heat that is costing you a fortune to produce, is going straight out into the street.

You might remember one of the old Government advice advertisements which showed a row of houses during winter after heavy snow fall and posed the question, which one hadn’t got it’s roof insulated. The one without the layer of snow of course.

Heavy-handed maybe, but it made the point very well. If you don’t insulate your loft, then you’re paying to keep your road warm.

And the great thing, you can install loft insulation yourself. It is still a DIY job, although if you don’t fancy manoeuvring about in your loft, it’s best to call in a professional.

It’s recommended that you have insulation thats 270mm deep and most comes in rolls which can be spread about your loft like a large duvet. If you’re installing itself, remember to wear clothing that will protect your body, and you will also need a face mask and gloves.

Make sure the insulation is snugly fitted into the loft, between the joints at first, and then over them as well, using scissors to cut the material to size. Don’t push and squeeze it. The material is designed for optimum efficiency at the manufactured depth. And don’t cover any water tanks, or light fittings. If you need access to such things, make sure you have walk boards which go over the insulation, but which are properly fixed to the relevant joists. Also, if you have any exposed pipes up there, make sure they are lagged with the insulating tubes you can buy.

Right, lets have a look at some of the costs of loft insulation and the expected payback.

On average, they reckon that to insulate the average loft will cost in the region of between £250 and £300 (with some help from grants). That’s not a fortune. And the saving in heating bills is reckoned, in the first year, to be £205. So, you get payback in about one-and-a-half years. So over five years, you are saving yourself a lot of money.

And, another good thing, you’ll be saving around one tonne of carbon dioxide emissions per year. So, you’re saving both your wallet and the planet.

That’s just one house and someone has calculated that if everyone in the U.K. topped their roof insulation to 270mm, savings of over £700m would be made each year.

And one final point; when you decide that loft insulation is an inevitable step (even for those that need to increase their current depth to 270mm), bear in mind that there are many organisations out there who will provide financial assistance and grants. Much does depend on your circumstances, but a great deal of help is available.

Guest Article by Neil Camp