Local homeowners wanting to improve the warmth, comfort and efficiency of their homes can now apply for a new Bath and North East Somerset Home Energy Loan.

The Council’s Energy at Home Scheme has collaborated with not-for-profit lender, Wessex Resolutions C.I.C, to make this loan available. It can be used to help spread the costs of installing energy saving measures such as boilers; loft, cavity wall, and solid wall insulation; and renewable energy technologies.

The Energy at Home Scheme provides free home energy advice to residents and help to make energy saving home improvements.

Grants are still available through the scheme for most measures, however, where the grants do not fully cover the cost of the works, the remaining up-front costs can be prohibitively expensive. The Home Energy Improvement Loan provides a new option for homeowners to help spread these costs over time, making energy-saving home improvements more manageable.

Home owners can apply for a Home Energy Loan of between £500–£15,000, with a repayment term of between six months and fifteen years. The loan has a representative rate of 4.2% APR. It is subject to an affordability and credit check, and it will require a home visit from an advisor.

Councillor Liz Richardson (Conservative, Chew Valley North), B&NES Council’s Cabinet Member for Homes and Planning, said: “Living in a cold home can have significant impacts on health and wellbeing. I welcome the availability of this new loan, which will enable more residents to install heating and insulation measures to improve the warmth and comfort of their homes.”

Councillor Martin Veal (Conservative, Bathavon North) Cabinet Member for Community Services, said: “The Energy at Home Scheme has already helped more than 300 households install energy saving measures, which is helping us bring down our carbon emissions across the district. This new loan is a big milestone for the scheme, and extends the options available to help residents improve their homes’ energy performance, and cut their energy bills.”

To find out more about the loan, or for any other home energy related queries, contact the Energy at Home Advice Service: 0800 0385680, [email protected] or visit: www.energyathome.org.uk

B&NES Council is also now working with Dyson Energy Services as its new Energy at Home Delivery Partner. Dyson Energy Services is working hard to get in contact with all the referrals made over the last few months whilst the scheme has undergone this transition. If you have not yet been called back, or if you have had works completed through the scheme and have any queries about how this change may affect you, please contact the Energy at Home Advice Service.