Energy support and advice

Our Energy Smart scheme aims to improve the energy efficiency of privately owned properties of those on a low income by funding and installing efficiency measures.

Energy Efficiency Measures

To apply for free loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, LED bulbs, draft proofing, temperature controls, or electric storage heaters residents must meet and provide evidence of the following:

• household income is less than £43,662
• you own your home, or it is privately rented

Funding is limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

To apply for Energy Efficiency Measures call the council’s project managers M-Four on 0800 471 4738 or register your interest:

Details on how your information will be used and stored for this project is available within the Energy Smart Privacy Notice document.

North Ayrshire Council has successfully secured funding from the Scottish Government’s Heat and Energy Efficiency Scotland: Area Based Schemes (HEES:ABS) programme to enhance the energy efficiency of privately owned properties within North Ayrshire. All project areas are identified in line with guidance issued by the Scottish Government.

Current projects are underway in Cumbrae, Arran, and the St Winning’s Well area of Kilwinning, with new projects launching in Beith, Kilbirnie, Irvine, Largs, Saltcoats, and Stevenston. Check if you are eligible in our list of postcodes document.

Available measures include:

• cavity wall
• solid wall insulation
• electric heating solutions
• loft insulation
• solar panels (where electric heating or solid wall insulation is also being installed)

To qualify, properties must be:

• located within designated project areas
• in Council Tax bands A–C, or band D with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E, F or G (EPC ratings will be checked by M-Four)
• privately owned or privately rented

Private tenants can apply with their landlord’s permission, provided the landlord owns no more than three properties.

How to apply

To deliver this scheme the council is working with Managing Agents, M-Four, and the Scottish Government's Home Energy Scotland to engage with homeowners. Homeowners within eligible areas will receive a letter from M-Four inviting them to register their interest in the scheme. M-Four will assess eligibility for assistance. If you have questions about to the Area Based Scheme, contact M-Four by:

• telephone: 0800 471 4738
• email: applications@m-four.org

Otherwise, contact Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282 to register your interest.

Details on how your information will be used and stored for this project is available within the HEES:ABS Privacy Policy document.

All projects are delivered in line with Scottish Government guidance and are targeted at areas where support can have the greatest impact.

Council’s ABS is dependent on continued funding being awarded. While every effort is made to progress proposed projects, some may be subject to change or delay.

The support and measures available can also vary to reflect the needs of different areas and property types.

North Ayrshire Council remains committed to supporting residents in improving the energy efficiency of their homes. Where possible, the council works to access external funding to assist with this.

One such initiative is the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) – a UK Government scheme. It places a legal obligation on energy suppliers to help households reduce their energy bills and cut carbon emissions by installing energy-saving measures. This includes insulation and heating improvements. This support is aimed at residents on low incomes or those who are vulnerable to the cold, helping to make homes warmer and more energy efficient.

To participate in this scheme, the council is required by legislation to publish a Statement of Intent (SoI). This document sets out the qualifying criteria used to determine which households are eligible for support.

• Statement of Intent ECO4 Flex and GBIS document
• Statement of Intent ECO4 Flex V1 - superseded document

Eligibility

If your gross household income is less than £31,000, or you have a medical condition that makes you vulnerable to the cold (such as cardiovascular, respiratory, immunosuppression, limited mobility), you may be eligible for ECO4 Flex or the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS). Please contact one of the council’s approved installers directly to find out more.

Alternatively, for further information on these or other government-funded energy schemes, visit Home Energy Scotland's website or call them on 0800 808 2282. Home Energy Scotland is funded by the Scottish Government and provides free, impartial advice and support to help you save energy, reduce bills, and make your home more comfortable.

Approved installers

The following installers are approved by the council:

• Green Home Systems 7 Ailsa Road, Irvine Industrial Estate, Irvine KA12 8LL Telephone: 0800 783 3373
• James Frew 83 New Street, Stevenston KA20 3HD Telephone: 01294 468113
• Valley Group Block 14, Unit B8, Queenslie Industrial Estate, Glasgow, G33 4DB Telephone: 0141 404 0244 (Area Based Scheme installer)

Applications for ECO4 Flex and GBIS will only be accepted from installers approved by the council under the ECO4 Flex scheme.

In line with the council’s commitment to Community Wealth Building, only installers that hold the required accreditations and are based within the local authority area will be considered for our approved installer partnership.

For Residents

To check eligibility for ECO4 Flex or GBIS funding, householders will be asked by the approved installer to provide income and health-related information. This information will then be shared with the council for the sole purpose of assessing eligibility. For further details on how your personal information is processed, please refer to the council’s ECO4 Flex Privacy Notice document.

Please note:

• the council has no other role in the delivery, installation, or quality assurance of ECO-funded works
• installers carrying out ECO-funded improvements are not employed by the council
• any work agreed upon is a private arrangement between the householder and their chosen installer, just like any other home improvement service

We advise all residents to ensure they are working with a council-approved installer and to carefully review the terms of any work before proceeding.

Complaints

If you have a complaint or issue regarding the ECO4 Flex or GBIS scheme, please refer it initially to the installer company responsible for the work.

All disputes should be handled in accordance with the Trustmark Dispute Resolution Process, the UK Government-endorsed quality scheme for home improvements.

Complaints can be formally registered via the Trustmark website. In addition, please notify the council’s Energy and Sustainability Department by emailing energyandsustainability@north-ayrshire.gov.uk.

Our Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) and Delivery Plan has been developed in line with Scottish Government guidance to identify North Ayrshire’s heat demand, set actions on decarbonising heat and poor energy efficiency.

Our LHEES is primarily driven by Scotland's national statutory targets:

• to achieve net zero emissions by 2045 with a 75 per cent reduction by 2030
• by 2040, as far as reasonably possible, that no more than 5 per cent of households will be in fuel poverty and no more than 1 per cent of households in Scotland in extreme fuel poverty

The Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy document sets out the council’s long-term plan for decarbonising heat and improving the energy efficiency of both domestic and non-domestic buildings throughout North Ayrshire. Background information is available in the LHEES Appendix document.

The LHEES delivery plan document sets out the proposed actions that the council will aim to progress. It is a working document with actions to assist the delivery of net zero and reduce fuel poverty across North Ayrshire.

North Ayrshire’s Community Renewable Energy Generation Fund (CREGF) scheme invites applications from community organisations to support renewable energy projects in North Ayrshire. The aim is to:

• increase the level of community owned renewable energy generation opportunities
• support North Ayrshire’s target of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030
• accelerate community benefit from local renewable energy generation

See our CREGF application document for information and to apply for funding.

Energy saving advice:

• switch off standby, turn off at the plug, it saves energy and prolongs battery life
• turn off lights when not needed, switch to LED bulbs, these last longer and use around 20% of the energy used by conventional bulbs to generate the same amount of light
• use the eco settings, change to eco-mode when using the dishwasher or boiler - this heats the water slower, using less energy but with the same outcome
• control your heating, adjust heating timers to switch off at night and during the day if the house is empty to minimise fuel consumption
• ensure thermostats are set correctly, usually between 18°C and 21°C
• turn down radiator controls, turn down or turn off controls in rooms you use occasionally - move furniture away from radiators to allow the heat to circulate
• be responsible with the washing machine, wait until it is fully loaded before using and wash at 30 degrees to save energy
• seasonal adjustments, switching your heating off or down during the summer months could save you money on your heating bills
• avoid the tumble dryer, dry clothes on racks inside if possible, or outside in warmer weather
• draught-proof your home, closing curtains at dusk will stop heat escaping - a draught-excluding cushion can minimise draughty windows and doors - draught excluder strips or expanding foam fillers can help minimise drafts with chimneys, floorboards, skirting boards, and loft hatches