Other energy efficiency schemes

A number of other schemes may be available to help with improvements to make your home more energy efficient.

Some of these schemes may even be able to provide the improvements free of charge.

Energy Company Obligation (ECO)

ECO is the government's domestic energy efficiency programme. ECO provides energy efficiency measures including insulation and heating to low income and vulnerable households.

ECO is a legal obligation placed on energy suppliers to improve the energy efficiency of households.

For more details, visit the Ofgem website.

St Helens Borough Council Heating and Insulation Scheme

We are currently able to assist with heating and standard insulation measures (cavity wall insulation and loft insulation). The assistance is subject to meeting scheme qualifying criteria and also subject to a technical survey. For further information please complete our general enquiry form.

Renewable energy incentives

There are a number of schemes offering incentives for installing microgeneration technologies or renewable heat technologies:

Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)

The SEG launched on 1 January 2020 and is a government-backed initiative. The SEG requires some electricity suppliers (SEG licensees) to pay small-scale generators (SEG generators) for low-carbon electricity, which they export back to the National Grid, providing certain criteria are met. Please visit the Ofgem website for further information.

Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) supports the decarbonisation of heat in buildings. It provides up front capital grants to support the installation of heat pumps and biomass boilers in homes and non-domestic buildings in England and Wales.

Acting on behalf of property owners, installers can apply for:

• £7,500 off the cost and installation of an air-to-water heat pump and ground source heat pump, including water source heat pumps
• £2,500 off the cost and installation of an air-to-air heat pump
• £5,000 off the cost and installation of a biomass boiler
• £9,000 off the cost and installation of air-to-water or ground source heat pumps in eligible off-gas grid properties (available from 21 July 2026 until 31 March 2027).

 Solar Panels - Funding and Advice

There aren't any dedicated solar panel grants from the UK Government. But you may be able to get funding as part of other government schemes.

For more details about solar panels, available funding, and to see they would be suitable for your property have a look at the following  websites -

Energy Saving Trust - Solar Panel Advice Guide

Government - Clean Energy Campaign - Solar

There are also group buying schemes available from time to time, these schemes bring households together to unlock better deals on sustainable upgrades — from solar panels and battery storage to heat pumps and EV chargers.

For more details and to see if a scheme is currently available visit Switch Together - Group Buying Scheme.

Assistance may also be available from your energy supplier, contact them to see if they offer any financial support for solar installations.