Council secures more than £6 million to help 'poor fuel' homes in Dispatch district

The council has secured more than £6 million from an overall fund of £82 million awarded to the Midlands Energy Hub by the Government.

These grants from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) will be used to carry out a range of improvements on 6,500 homes across the midlands.

The Midlands Energy Hub, which is governed by Nottingham City Council, supports Local Enterprise Partnerships and local authorities to deliver energy strategies and projects.

By using the learnings from previous iterations of BEIS-funded retrofit projects and knowledge from across the region, the consortium developed a successful bid to secure major investment from the Government.

The council will use the grants to deliver a variety of home improvements to almost 700 homes, including insulation, renewable energy from solar panels and low carbon heat pumps.

As the colder months draw in and with energy prices at an all-time high, the council’s innovative projects are vital to helping people stay warm throughout winter.

Coun Sally Longford (Lab) council deputy leader and portfolio holder for energy, environment and waste services, said: “Fuel poverty affects around 15 per cent of households in Nottingham, so tackling this is one of the top priorities for Nottingham City Council.

"Over the past six years, more than 1,250 homes across Nottingham have been improved with a range of measures, including loft insulation, installation of solar panels and whole-house retrofit using the innovative Energiesprong approach.

“With 35 per cent of the city’s carbon emissions coming from domestic properties, having the funding to commit to projects like these is integral to reaching Nottingham’s target to be the first carbon neutral city in the country by 2028.

"I’m delighted that more funding has been secured to carry on this vital work which will make homes feel warmer and more comfortable, as well as drastically reducing bills and our carbon footprint.”

Since 2015, Nottingham City Council has secured more than £20 million in European and Government grants to carry out its domestic energy efficiency programme.

This includes the current iteration of the Local Authority Delivery scheme, which allows eligible homeowners to have solar panels installed on their homes for free. This scheme will save homeowners around £240 on their energy bills per year, as well as reducing carbon emissions across the city by approximately 440 tonnes.

Michael Gallagher, Head of the Midlands Energy Hub, said: “We’re delighted to have secured this major funding for the midlands.

"It demonstrates quite clearly the importance of a collaborative, regional approach to attracting Government investment and to the delivery of net zero solutions on the ground.

“We’re also pleased to be working with closely with our key stakeholders to build a powerful partnership approach across the Midlands region.

"This is helping to generate capacity among our local authorities to ensure that energy measures are applied where they are most needed most and delivered in the most effective way.”