Ways to reduce your footprint - energy

Reducing energy use in your home

Saving you money, increases our energy security, and reduces the carbon emissions that is produced from non-renewable sources of energy.

Having an efficient heating system running on a low carbon fuel is one of the most important steps you can take to reduce your fuel bills and your carbon dioxide emissions. If you want to reduce your carbon emissions and keep your energy bills low, installing insulation or draught-proofing will reduce heat loss. Many energy companies are also introducing programmes that encourage using electricity during off-peak hours. These programmes then pass the savings on to you.

Visit the Energy Trust website to find out more information on how to reduce energy in your home.

Energy Saving plan builder tool

Explore and customise the energy efficiency improvements that might work for your home with our plan builder app online tool.

The tool can help you with:

• Making changes to your home that reduces your energy bills
• Improve the comfort and warmth of your home
• Estimate the costs of making the improvements
• Reduce your carbon emissions

By registering a free account you can edit your property information, save and edit your plan and have it emailed to you. While the tool is not meant to replace professional advice, it is a great way to help residents begin their home improvement journey for free and understand the options available.

Help with your energy costs

If you would like information on getting help with the cost of living crisis and paying your energy bills and other financial support visit our Cost of Living support page.

Government Grants

1. ECO4 Flex energy efficiency scheme

ECO4 Flex is a government scheme, funded by energy companies, that supports households on a low income or those particularly vulnerable to the impacts of living in a cold home. Funding is available for things that can improve the energy efficiency of your home, like insulation and heating systems.

Process

Email warmhomes@wokingham.gov.uk. One of our team will email you a declaration form to show that you are eligible and provide supporting evidence. If you are eligible for the scheme, an installer will need to visit your property to make an assessment. The installer sends their recommendations to the energy company, who will make a final decision on what work will be carried out.

Eligibility criteria

If you live in a private home (rented or owned) with an EPC rating of D or below and have a combined household income of £31,000 or less, then you are likely to be eligible for this scheme. 

Even if you don’t meet these criteria, but are living in a private home with a low energy efficiency rating, you may still be eligible for funding if:

• you or a member of your household has a medical condition that makes you more vulnerable to cold
• you are over 65 or a member of your family is under the age of 5 or over 65
• a member of your household is in receipt of Council Tax Support
• a member of your household is in receipt of free school meals, due to low income
• you have been referred to the scheme by the council or by Citizen's Advice after being identified as struggling to pay your utility bills

ECO4 Wokingham Borough Council Statement of Intent 1.1 (PDF)

2. Warm Homes: Local Grant

Free home energy efficiency upgrades, such as solar panels, insulation and air source heat pumps are available to homes in Wokingham Borough.

This includes upgrades such as solar panels, home insulation, and air source heat pumps – all designed to reduce your energy bills and help you switch to greener, more sustainable energy.

This scheme is open to homeowners and private renters across the Borough. Landlords can also benefit, with their first property fully funded and 50 percent funding for any additional properties. Whereas previous schemes have been restricted to off-gas properties, homes of all fuel types are now eligible.

To qualify, households must have a combined household income of £36,000 or under, receive benefits, or live in a lower-income area. If you’re unsure, you can quickly check your eligibility using the Government’s online tool. To check if you are eligible, use the Government’s eligibility checker. You could get free energy saving improvements made to your home if you’re on a low income, getting certain benefits or living in a certain postcode area. 

To join the waiting list today, register your interest on the Warmer Homes website or call the Warmer Homes freephone on 0800 038 5737.

Energy advice service

Green Doctors provide a free energy advice service helping households to stay warm, save money and use less energy. It is a programme run by the charity Groundwork South. We work with them to provide this service for Wokingham Borough residents.

Support available

Their energy advisors can help you:

• Save money on your energy bills
• Switch energy providers
• Claim available grant support (for example Warm Home Discount)
• Get prepayment meter support
• Tackle energy or water debt
• Book a consultation

You can book a free consultation by visiting the Green Doctors website or by calling 0300 365 3005.

Other Energy schemes

1. Solar Together Scheme

If you are looking to reduce your carbon footprint and save on energy bills, we have partnered with the Solar Together scheme to make it easier and cheaper to install solar panels.

Solar Together enables residents in the Borough to install solar panels and battery storage at a competitive price through pre-vetted suppliers, which in turn will generate green energy, save on energy bills, whilst supporting our ambition for Wokingham Borough to be carbon neutral by 2030.

This scheme is useful for residents who are looking to get more from the renewable energy they generate as well as increasing their independence from the electricity grid.

You can register your interest for free on the Solar Together, Wokinghamm website.

Solar Together Case study

Mike Bushnell first heard about the Solar Together scheme in one of our email updates and is now recommending it to others.

A resident of Earley, Mike has been concerned about the climate emergency for a long time and he is always trying to take practical steps to be more energy efficient. He says solar panels were 'the next logical step' and he had an eight-panel system and a battery pack installed in September 2023, having registered his interest three months earlier.

Mike said: "Overall, I would say the entire process from start to end was very simple. From first signing up to getting all of the paperwork sorted was very smooth. The installation day itself appeared seamless and was very quick.

"Everything apart from the on-site survey and installation was done via email. Not only would I recommend this scheme to others, I already have. You can download an app to keep track of your system's performance, which I have found slightly addictive."

Although he says the time of year for installation was not ideal, there were still some days where he generated more electricity than he used. During September and October, about half of the energy used was generated from the panels.

As the days begin to get longer again, Mike is looking forward to seeing how much more the system will generate and how much money he can save. If you have been inspired by Mike's story, register your interest with Solar Together Wokingham.

2. Big Community Switch

Heating and powering our homes is expensive, so it is worthwhile trying to find a more affordable energy deal. Big Community Switch helps residents switch energy suppliers, move to a renewable electricity tariff and save money on their energy bills. Switching with Big Community Switch means you can benefit from the bargaining power of a large group.

How does it work?

1. Registration: you can register for free and without obligation on the Big Community Switch website.

2. Auction: an ‘auction’ will be held so pre-vetted energy suppliers can submit bids. The supplier who offered the cheapest tariff will get to offer you a new contract.

3. Personal offer: you will receive a personal offer, based on your registration details, and you can see how much money you can save.

4. You decide: the decision is then yours as to whether you want to accept your offer. There is no obligation to switch.

5. Take control: if you accept, you will be one of the thousands who have taken control of their energy costs through this collective energy switching scheme.

Find out more

For more information, visit the Big Community Switch website, where you can register for the scheme. Please note that this scheme is not run by Wokingham Borough Council, and all enquiries should be directed to the Big Community Switch’s helpdesk online or call 0800 048 8285 (lines open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5:30pm.)