The council is supporting the residents and communities of West Suffolk to improve their home energy efficiency by promoting the government's funding initiatives to support home insulation and renewable energy installations. We have created an Energy saving grants leaflet and eligibility checker to help residents find the best grant to help make their home more energy efficient and warmer.
The Warm Homes: Local Grant is a government-funded scheme delivered by local authorities that will take the first steps to delivering on the ambitions of the Warm Homes Plan. It will provide grants for energy performance upgrades and low carbon heating to low-income households living in the worst quality, privately owned and rented homes in England to achieve energy bill savings and carbon savings. These upgrades will be open to all fuel types, including households heated by mains gas and by electricity, oil, coal or liquid petroleum gas.
you have a health condition which is affected by living in a cold home, which is either cardiovascular, respiratory, immunosuppressed or limited mobility related
you or someone living in your home with you (other than an a lodger or adult in full time education) receives means tested benefits, for example Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit
you have a gross (before tax) annual household income of £36,000 or less including all benefits received (except from disability benefits which include Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment.
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) is a government grant that aims to improve the energy efficiency of domestic homes. This grant focuses on fuel poverty and reducing carbon emissions. It requires energy companies to fund energy efficiency improvements like insulation and heating upgrades for eligible households. The scheme has been extended and will end on the 31 December 2026. This provides obligated suppliers with additional time to meet their targets and ensures an orderly close to the scheme.
Suffolk’s councils have jointly published criteria, in a statement of intent, enabling them to identify households that would benefit from such improvements under ECO flex. Improvements are often fully funded where the household meets the criteria and is at risk of fuel poverty. For more information on how to apply for the ECO4 grant, please contact us at environment@westsuffolk.gov.uk or call 01284 757400.
Connected for Warmth
Connected for Warmth is a new national grant offering heating and energy bill support for fuel poor and vulnerable homes. The scheme aims to do this by offering free air source heat pump installation and energy bill support.
To be eligible for this scheme you must:
be in receipt of a means tested benefit, or
your total household income from all sources must be under £31,000, or
have an NHS referral of a long-term severe health condition that would be worsened by living in a cold home.
Further eligibility criteria are required for additional bill support.
Eligibility checks on your property will take place before installation.
Keep the Heat is a Suffolk run scheme where community groups and parish and town councils can borrow a thermal camera for free.
A thermal camera allows you to take a thermal image of your building to show you where heat might be escaping from.
By identifying where heat is lost, you can identify ways to make your home more energy efficient. This will keep it warmer for longer, saving you money and reducing carbon emissions. Living in cold and possibly damp homes can be harmful for our health.
The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a one-off £150 discount off your electricity bill. If you are eligible, your electricity supplier will apply this discount to your bill. The money will not be paid to you.
If you live in England and Wales, you will qualify if you either:
get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit
The government is offering grants of £7,500 towards the cost of installing a heat pump and in some cases biomass boilers to properties across England and Wales through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
You are eligible for a grant if:
you own the property you are applying for
you are replacing fossil fuel heating systems - such as oil, gas, electric or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)
Due to significant demand, all available funds for the Warm Homes Suffolk Loan Scheme have now been fully allocated. As a result, this means the current scheme is closed to new applications from 1 September 2025.
We would like to thank every Suffolk homeowner who has shown interest. The response has been overwhelming and we are proud to have supported so many households in their home improvement journey.
We expect to share news on a future scheme during Autumn 2026.
If you would like to be kept informed about future opportunities, please complete the expression of interest form at Lendology and we will update you directly when opportunities reopen.
Warm Homes Suffolk
Warm Homes Suffolk wants to help the people of Suffolk live in homes that cost less to heat, so they can reduce their energy usage and enjoy lower bills. Whether it’s by fitting loft insulation, solar panel systems or providing expert advice and support to shrink your fuel bills, they want to help you live in a warmer home and reduce the amount of energy you use. As well as keeping you warm for less, it will help reduce Suffolk’s carbon footprint, helping to achieve our commitment to net zero by 2030.
Residents in Suffolk can benefit from free energy efficiency measures, when energy grants are available. Eligible households include those with a total annual household income of £36,000 or below and live in a property with an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) rating of D, E, F or G. You can find your EPC rating at: GOV.UK - Find an energy certificate
To register your interest, please contact the Warm Homes Suffolk team on 03456 037 686. Please contact: environment@westsuffolk.gov.uk for more information.
Loan of temporary heaters
The temporary heaters are provided by Warm Homes Suffolk to help keep you warm. These heaters are temporary oil filled and electric that we can loan to you if:
you struggle to keep your home warm
you have faulty or no heating.
If you are interested in taking up this offer, please email environment@westsuffolk.gov.uk. If you take up this offer, we will stay in contact with you to see if you are benefiting from the heaters and to discuss a time for us to collect the heaters after use.
Retrofit Assessment Voucher Scheme
Homeowners can claim their home energy efficiency assessment voucher today at no or low cost. No cost for homes under 98m². The scheme is funded by Suffolk Public Sector Organisations. The most you will pay for a home bigger than 98m² is £30 for an assessment, typically valued at over £250.
The home energy efficiency assessment can help identify the best ways to make your home more energy efficient. These assessments will be delivered by a trained professional who will analyse the building’s construction, materials, existing energy efficiency measures and any relevant heritage or planning constraints. You will receive a comprehensive report that outlines the findings and recommends specific improvements for lower emissions and better energy savings.
To apply today, you will need to start by checking your EPC rating on GOV.UK - Find an energy certificate. If your home is rated below C or no rating is provided, then you can take up our offer. Once you have checked your EPC rating, please visit Suffolk Energy Efficiency Assessment to get started.
Solar Together Suffolk is an innovative scheme offering high-quality solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and battery storage. It is a group-buying scheme, which brings Suffolk households together to get high-quality solar panels at a competitive price, helping you through the process and keeping you informed at every stage. It is free to register and there is no obligation to purchase.
During 2021, there were 405 solar PV installations across Suffolk. At point of installation, these were 44 per cent cheaper than the market price for an equivalent system. Over the next 25 years, these are expected to prevent 9,800 tonnes of carbon being released into the atmosphere.
If you already have solar panels installed, you can also register to have battery storage added to your existing solar panels to maximise the benefits of your system.
An initiative to support small scale, renewable energy generators where you can be paid for any excess electricity you generate and export to the grid. You can claim the tariff if you have any of the following technologies installed with a capacity of up to 5 megawatt (mW), or up to 50 kilowatt (kW) for Micro-combined heat and power (CHP):
solar photovoltaic
wind
micro combined heat and power
hydro
anaerobic digestion.
The energy suppliers that offer smart export payments are only required to offer you a tariff that is greater than zero. Therefore, the rate that each energy company pays is likely to vary. You should compare the tariffs available before agreeing a contract. Furthermore, the tariffs may be fixed or variable similar to your existing electricity tariff, but they are managed separately.
The Suffolk Loft Insulation Offer enables homeowners in Suffolk to receive a 50% discount (up to £200) and free delivery on orders of 200mm or 370mm wide eco-friendly, itch-free thermal insulation rolls from High Loft, the UK's leading eco loft insulation brand.
Last winter, the project enabled over 5,000m2 of roofs in Suffolk to be insulated. This year, the Suffolk Climate Change Partnership want to double that figure.
The offer is open to anyone in Suffolk and will only close once the allocated funding has been spent. So, whether you’re looking to top up your existing insulation or insulate from scratch, this offer is for you.
Simply order your 200mm and/or 370mm loft insulation rolls on the High Loft website and enter your discount code.
Sit back and enjoy your warmer, more climate-friendly home and your lower energy bills.
Planning permission
The council's Climate Change and Sustainable Building Planning Advice Note outlines the policy requirements from the climate change section of the West Suffolk Local Plan 2024 to 2041 and signposts advice and guidance to help developers and homeowners proposing new developments to access the most up-to-date information.
Where the proposed solar panels constitute permitted development, planning permission is not usually required. Although, in certain circumstances, the developer may be required to apply to the local planning authority for ‘prior approval’ before commencing works. If the proposed solar panels do not constitute permitted development, or if the property is located within an area subject to an ‘Article 4’ direction, or subject to a planning condition that may have removed permitted development rights, an application for planning permission may be necessary.
If there is any doubt regarding compliance with the legislation or whether the property is affected by the removal of permitted development rights, it is recommended that you apply to the local planning authority for pre-application planning advice or a lawful development certificate (LDC) before starting works.
Listed building consent
Listed building consent will be required if you wish to place solar panels on a listed building (this includes buildings within the curtilage of the listed building which pre-date July 1948). An application for this will need to be made to, and determined by, your local planning authority. Note that there is a general presumption against siting the panels on listed buildings unless they are completely hidden from view. In some cases, a ground-mounted array may be a suitable alternative. This would require planning permission within the curtilage of a listed building.
If you wish to install solar panels on your roof, building regulations will normally apply. The ability of the existing roof to carry the load (weight) of the panels will need to be checked and proven. Some strengthening work may be needed. Building regulations also apply to other aspects of the work such as electrical installation. Installers who are members of a relevant competent person scheme can self-certify certain types of building work, including the installation of solar panels, avoiding the need to seek separate building regulations approval. You are advised to check that your installer is a member of a scheme covering the work they will be undertaking.
