COST OF LIVING: What You Need To Know...

Getting help with your energy bills

With more time being spent at home, during the current coronavirus pandemic, we recognise that bills are likely to be higher.

Fuel poverty affects the most vulnerable residents in our communities and can have adverse impacts on their well-being; especially for young children, those with reduced mobility, over 65 or, with a health condition.

There are a number of schemes now available to Birmingham residents to remedy this, from free installation of central heating, switching energy supplier, support with fuel debts, energy saving measures, energy efficient appliances and more.

Available schemes

LEAP (Local Energy Advice Partnership) can provide help and advice with energy switching, free energy saving measures, money advice and check if you’re eligible for insulation, a new appliance or even a new boiler. Please call LEAP on 0800 060 7567 or apply for leap online.

ECHO (Emergency Central Heating Offer) is a scheme that offers emergency assistance to fuel poor or vulnerable households (owner occupiers only) to repair or replace broken or condemned boilers.

HEART is an initiative to support fuel poor and vulnerable households through the replacement of old, inefficient fridges, fridge/freezers, washing machines and electric cookers with modern, efficient alternatives.

ECO FLEX (Energy Company Obligation Flexible Eligibility) is a government scheme which provides funding for energy efficiency improvements in the home such as a new central heating system, upgrades to the existing heating system and/or insulation.

For enquiries about Eco Flex please contact AgilityEco at birminghamsoi@agilityeco.co.uk

Energy Company Obligation (ECO) requires energy suppliers to set aside a fund to install energy saving measures. These help households cut their energy bills and reduce carbon emissions.

Primarily aimed at owner occupiers and private rented tenure households, the scheme may support those who are not eligible for some of the other means-tested schemes but are vulnerable to the effects of living in a cold home.

Councils can set the eligibility criteria for which households are supported by the scheme and must publish a statement of intent that outlines these criteria.

Birmingham’s criteria can be found in our Statement of Intent.

Download the Birmingham City Council's Statement of Intent

Money Saving Boiler Challenge will save you money and energy by changing a single setting on your boiler. Many UK combi boilers burn more gas, generate more carbon emissions and cost more in energy bills than they need to. Research shows that by adjusting the boiler flow temperature to 60 degrees or below, households will save money off their bill and an average of 172kg in carbon emissions.