There’s no doubt that winter is in full swing in Scotland and we’re feeling the cold. Unfortunately, for many of us, our homes aren’t a place where we can rely on there being warmth without a steep cost being attached to it in the form of energy bills.
The team at Home Energy Scotland, an advice service funded by the Scottish Government, is here to help people across the nation make their homes warmer for less. By sharing tips, advice and funding for improvements that will make homes more energy efficient we can help you reduce your bills and help tackle climate change.
Simple adjustments and mindful choices can significantly reduce heating costs while ensuring you keep warm. For example, did you know that turning your thermostats from 22 degrees to 21 degrees could save you £105 every year?* Similarly, you can optimise your home workspace and further enhance comfort and energy efficiency by choosing a draught-free, well-lit location that not only creates a pleasant work environment but also reduces reliance on artificial lighting, leading to electricity bill savings.
One of the biggest things that we can do to maintain warmth is to address draughts. It is important to keep rooms adequately ventilated to reduce condensation, however, placing draught excluders on doors and installing proper insulation in lofts and basements all contribute to heat retention, which can help keep you warmer for less.
We recognise that not everyone is going to be in the position to make some of those all-important changes in the home, so we’re encouraging homeowners who are currently in receipt of income-related financial support to get in touch to find out if they are eligible for £10,000 or more worth of improvements, through the Warmer Homes Scotland programme.
The funding provided is a grant so there is no need to pay it back.
The changes made can be significant, completely changing the energy efficiency of a home. The long-lasting results and benefits will make getting in touch with Home Energy Scotland the right decision, as so many households have experienced. During 2022/23, almost 5,500 homes in Scotland benefited from the initiative.
If you know of anyone, be it yourself, a family member or a friend who could benefit from support, Home Energy Scotland is here to help. Even if you're not eligible for Warmer Homes Scotland, there are other options that Home Energy Scotland can support with such as access to interest-free loans, grants and advice.
Whether there’s small changes that can be implemented at home today, such as making use of a draught excluder or turning down your heating, or you make the call to Home Energy Scotland to get set for next winter, there’s plenty you can do to make 2024 the year you make your home warmer for less.
Contact Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282 or use the self-assessment tool on the website and one of the advisors will be in touch: homeenergyscotland.org/warmer-home.
Harry Mayers is the Head of Home Energy Scotland.
*Source: Energy Saving Trust. Based on turning down a room thermostat from 22 degrees to 21 degrees in the main living room. Based on a typical three-bedroom semi-detached gas heated house, with and 88% efficient gas boiler and average gas tariff of 7.4p/kWh and electricity tariff of 28.6p/kWh.
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