Home upgrade grant (HUG2)

Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness Councils have been awarded £12.4 million of funding to administer the Home Upgrade Grant Scheme, Phase 2 (HUG2). The HUG2 scheme funds energy efficiency upgrades and clean heating systems in low-income households.

This is a government scheme is funded by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). It targets the least energy efficient (Energy Performance Certificate band D-G) off-gas grid homes in England, to tackle fuel poverty and progress us towards the UK’s 2050 Net Zero commitment.

The scheme will provide energy efficiency upgrades and low-carbon heating solutions for low-income households living in the least energy efficient homes.

The scheme is expected to last for two years - applications will be open from April 2023 until February 2025 (or until available funds are exhausted) and is available to owner-occupiers and private tenants. HUG2 grants are available to homes which are off-gas grid (do not have mains gas) and have an EPC rating of D, E, F or G.

Your Local Authority has selected households which are likely to be suitable for the scheme using IMD (Index of Multiple Deprivation) statistics and Housing Stock Data. If you live in one of these homes, look out for our HUG2 postcards inviting you to chat with our friendly, trained Support Teams in the first instance.

Alternatively, if you feel that you may qualify for HUG2, please contact one of the following Local Authority telephone numbers:

• For Cumberland Council Residents 0330 056 5698.
• For Westmorland and Furness Residents 01768 212 348.

Other referral routes for vulnerable residents are available through your local NHS worker (GP/Nurse/OT etc.) or through the Citizens Advice Bureau for those residents who are currently receiving Fuel Poverty Assistance.

HUG2 Cumbria additional information:

• The aim is to reduce fuel poverty and to phase out off-gas grid fossil fuels. By phasing out fossil fuels we aim to accelerate towards the UK’s Net Zero Targets and reduce our dependency of expensive imported fuel.

• A selection of homes are pre-qualified as eligible if they are off-gas and EPC D or below.  These homes are located in IMD 1, 2 or 3 areas. Please contact your local Council Support Team to understand if your home is within IMD 1-3. These homes do not require income verification checks.

• Homes located in IMD areas between 4 and 10 are not pre-qualified and need income verification checks to prove that your earnings are £31,000 or below (that is proof of income).

• Private tenants will need consent from their landlord and landlords will also have separate eligibility checks.

• Landlords will need to demonstrate that they own 4 or fewer rental properties, agree to pay one third of the cost of measures installed and will agree to pay £500 (refundable) deposit prior to commencing on the scheme.

• As Cumbria is a large geographical area, we will deliver the scheme in Delivery Batches focused on Local Authority areas such as the Allerdale area and the Eden area.  This way we will target smaller areas for speed of installations and reduce Contractor travelling times.

• Within each Delivery Batch, we will aim to carry out installations on the worst performing homes first.

• The measures available will have a “fabric first” approach, focusing on reducing energy demand (for example wall / loft / floor insulation) and the transition towards low-carbon heating (in line with the Net Zero 2050 target).

• Installation, replacement or repair of fossil fuel-based systems will not be offered under the scheme.

• A qualified retrofit coordinator will assess eligible homes individually to determine the best measures to be installed.