British Gas Community Energy
CERT funding for external solid wall insulation
Social housing and private sector properties
Energy Solutions Manager, Lindsey Kennedy
Introduction
According to the Energy Saving Trust, around 45% of the heat lost in an
un-insulated solid wall home is through the walls.
Installing external wall insulation (EWI) can reduce heat loss and can save
occupiers around £375 a year on their fuel bills, helping to reduce carbon
emissions by around 1.9 tonnes per year for a home heated by gas (and
much more for those heated by electricity and solid fuel) and alleviating
fuel poverty in ‘hard to treat’ homes.
Traditionally, EWI is much more expensive to install than loft and cavity
wall insulation and it has previously been seen as cost-prohibitive but
British Gas can now provide a new solution to help increase the uptake in
some of the most vulnerable households in your area.
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British Gas can now provide a funding solution to support
the implementation of EWI
Under the priority group flex option within CERT, British Gas is now able
to provide significant funding to homes installing external wall insulation.
This is because the carbon savings we can claim for EWI in certain
circumstances have been increased, meaning that we can offer greater
amounts of funding.
Funding is available for works carried out in social housing and also for
privately owned and rented properties, providing that the client receives
certain benefits or allowances.
This funding is available for installations occurring after February 23rd
2011 and it is expected that this scheme will run in both 2011 and 2012.
All installations must be complete by the end of CERT (31st December
2012).
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Which properties are suitable for external wall insulation?
Twice as much heat can be lost through an uninsulated solid wall as through an
un-insulated cavity wall meaning that they are often classed as ‘hard to treat’.
Homes built before or around 1920 usually have external walls made from a
single skin of ‘solid brick’, rather than cavity walls. In addition, many post-war
system built properties are made from concrete or other pre-fabricated materials
(e.g. Cornish, Wimpey, BISFs) and do not have cavity walls.
If a home is of solid brick
construction, the bricks will
tend to be placed head-on and
lengthways in an alternating
pattern.
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Why install external wall insulation?
• It reduces energy bills, saving money and reducing CO2 emissions
• It provides the occupier with a more comfortable living environment, helping
them to keep warm and healthy
• It can be applied without disruption to the household and does not reduce the
floor area of the property home
• It renews and improves the appearance of outer walls (planning permission may
be required so check before undertaking any work)
• It fills cracks and gaps in the brickwork, which will reduce draughts and improve
air tightness and sound resistance
• It increases the lifetime of a property wall by protecting the brickwork
• It adds value to the property
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What is British Gas able to offer?
British Gas will CERT fund every external solid wall measure installed in
the following two categories:
• Social housing
• Private sector housing where the occupier falls into Priority Group
Flex (PGF) categories - new enhanced funding available
PGF is a private household where at least one occupant is on a set list of benefits
(see slide 9)
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Funding for private sector households in PG Flex
One of the main issues with EEC, EEC 2 and CERT was that the funding available
for EWI was relatively small compared to the cost of installation and was usually
only available for social housing.
Our new offer for private sector properties provides a significant amount of funding
to households in receipt of the following benefits or allowances:
Council Tax Benefit - Housing Benefit - Income Support - Income-based Job
Seekers Allowance - Income-related Employment and Support Allowance Attendance Allowance - Disability Living Allowance - War Disablement Pension
(that includes either a mobility supplement or constant attendance allowance) Disablement Pension (that includes constant attendance allowance) - State pension
credit - Child Tax Credit (where the relevant income is £16,190 or less) - Working
Tax Credit (where the relevant income is £16,190 or less)
Please note, over 70s are not eligible under PG Flex (unless on a benefit above)
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Funding for private sector households in PG Flex
An application for funding should be submitted to your Energy Solutions Manager.
An offer of funding is then made by British Gas and an agreement produced once
this offer is accepted.
As part of this agreement, an Ofgem required solid wall declaration must also be
submitted. The super priority group percentage must be stated on the declaration.
This will be explained to you by your Energy Solutions Manager.
Once works have been completed a claim form and compliance documentation (i.e.
technical monitoring forms and customer satisfaction forms) are submitted and the
funding is paid. These forms will be provided by your Energy Solutions Manager.
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How are funding levels calculated?
The amount of funding available depends on a number of factors relating
to the household, including:
• The property type and size (e.g. 3 bedroom semi-detached)
• The current heating fuel (mains gas, LPG, oil, electric or coal)
In many cases the household will be able to receive a grant covering 100%
of the cost of the works and this is most likely for homes heated by
electricity or coal.
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Funding levels – private sector (PG Flex only)
Huge uplifts in funding
Typical funding levels – Based on an average 3 bed semi detached house
£9,000
£7,875
£8,000
£6,991
Funding (£)
£7,000
£6,000
£5,000
£4,000
£4,280
£3,404
£3,834
£3,000
£2,000
£1,000
£0
Gas
LPG
Electric
Oil
Existing fuel type
Full property funding amounts are contained in Appendix 2
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Coal
How will the private sector PG Flex scheme work?
Individual households will not be able to apply directly to British Gas.
We will rely on local authority partners, managing agents and installers to help
co-ordinate the scheme.
The process has been designed to be straightforward and with minimal
administration.
Claims can be submitted for as little as one or two properties, so there is no
requirement for minimum numbers or project size.
The process will mirror that for social housing but separate application and claim
forms etc will be needed. Technical Monitoring forms for 5% of all installations
and customer satisfaction forms for 1% of all installations will need to be
completed.
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Ways you can promote this scheme to residents/clients
• Ensure customer contact staff and staff in Housing, Environmental Health and
Environment Teams are aware
• Brief Care and Repair/Home Improvement Agency colleagues
• Advertise the scheme in council publications
• Advertise the scheme on the council website
• Carry out a mailing to residents receiving Council Tax or Housing Benefit with
support and branding from British Gas
• Disseminate the information to relevant local groups and organisations (FoE,
Greenpeace, Age UK, Transition Towns groups)
• Provide details to local lettings agents
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Other ways to utilise the scheme
• Provide landlord accreditation schemes and landlord forums with details to help
raise awareness for landlords
• Used as a tool to assist with general complaints regarding cold living conditions
and damp
• Utilise for HHSRS notices and schedules for improvement works
• Advise owners of empty properties (please bear in mind a nominated tenant in
the priority group will be required)
• Advise all landlords with solid wall properties currently in your Private Sector
Leasing (PSL) scheme
• Revisit any right-to-buy properties that missed out on previous EWI schemes or
use to help those involved in current/future schemes
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Next steps
1. Discuss the options with your ESM
2. Promote the scheme to tenants / residents and provide information to
colleagues
3. Collate responses / complete and submit application form to your
ESM
4. Funding offer is made and contract generated
5. Works are carried out
6. Claim is submitted to your ESM along with relevant paperwork and
grant is paid
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Contact information
Lindsey Kennedy
Energy Solutions Manager, Central Region
British Gas Community Energy
07789 575135
Lindsey.kennedy@centrica.com
britishgas.co.uk/communityenergy
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