Help for Warmth
‘Do you want help to save money on your energy bills?’
‘Do you want to keep warm in winter and cool in summer?’
‘Are you looking to upgrade your property to make it more environmentally friendly?’
We provide energy saving advice, home visits, free energy saving products and access to funding* for insulation, heating and renewable energy improvements across Dorset. Eligibility criteria can be confusing, with many different option, we advise you to contact us!
Help for Warmth is a scheme designed to assist all clients in the domestic sector from owner occupiers, private and social tenants and their landlords, whether on low incomes, benefits, or in full time well paid employment, across Dorset.
The scheme can help anyone living in a domestic premises, to get advice and assistance with upgrading the energy efficiency of their home. With so many schemes, funding streams and qualifying criteria, we encourage you to contact us using the form on this page, if you are still unsure of which options are open to you.
The common assumption is that you need to be receiving state benefits to get assistance, this is not the case and many clients are surprised what they qualify for, or that we can still assist those not able to get grant funding, with full advice and support in assessing and installing these works.
NB. Some schemes allow for a low income criteria. In addition, some schemes also require two criteria to be met. Please see individual pages for further information. It is always best to call us.
Low Income | Annual household income under £31,000
Qualifying Benefit | Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Attendance Allowance. Click here to see full list.
Poor Health | Cardiovascular condition, respiratory condition etc. Click here to see full list.
EPC D or E rating | Private housing resident in BCP Council area, with an Energy Performance Certificate rating of D or E.
Able to Pay | Does not fall into any of the other categories.
Find out more about the current schemes below…
Healthy Homes Dorset
The service provides free impartial energy advice, access to funding for insulation & heating improvements and referrals to other agencies. Our experienced, qualified energy assessors will in some cases complete a home visit, in order to identify any potential energy saving improvements required, to ensure funding is identified and the relevant works are installed. Funded by BCP Council, Dorset Council and Public Health Dorset.
*Funding is subject to terms and conditions.
LEAP
The Local Energy Advice Partnership (LEAP) helps eligible residents in all tenures of housing throughout Dorset, to reduce their energy bills, maximise their income and make their homes more energy efficient. You can have telephone advice, a home visit and some small energy saving measures installed or delivered to you. This includes free energy saving measures such as LED light bulbs, draught proofing, radiator reflectors and smart TV sockets as well as referrals into other schemes to help improve heating, repairing or replacing a broken gas boiler or improving insulation.
The LEAP Appliance scheme (previously known as HEART) also provides free washing machines, fridge freezers and cookers under a grant – please note that gas cookers are not available under this scheme. All replacements are highly energy efficient, thus reducing your energy bills and reducing the impact on the environment.
The LEAP Boiler scheme (previously known as ECHO) is a funded heating scheme that offers assistance to qualifying owner occupier households to repair or replace broken (No heat) or condemned gas boilers. If you are eligible you may get a fully funded (subject to survey) brand new, A rated energy efficient gas boiler replacement.
*Funding is subject to terms and conditions.
Cavity Wall and Loft Insulation
Cavity wall and loft insulation are still the most effective methods of saving energy, reducing your bills and helping to keep your home warm. In some circumstances, it is also a requirement to have insulation installed first, prior to receiving further grants. Every property is thoroughly inspected by us locally prior to the installation, to ensure your home is suitable for insulation, as not every home is. We only work with the most trusted and professional installers and monitor the quality of the work on top of the other industry requirements.
*Funding is subject to terms and conditions.
Ridgewater Energy also manage local and national energy efficiency funding and projects, and our team have 20 years’ experience working with letting agents, management companies, private landlords and tenants.
We work with a network of trusted installers, who can assist with various energy efficiency and heating measures whether funded or on a paid quote basis.
