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Home Upgrade Grant

The Home Upgrade Grant (HUG2) is a new Government grant scheme. It helps to fund energy saving upgrades for residents with off-grid gas heating systems. You may be eligible to apply if you struggled to pay your heating bill last winter.

It could help you to:

  • use less energy
  • spend less on your energy bills
  • reduce your carbon footprint

Eligibility criteria

The HUG2 is open to homeowners and private tenants in homes assessed as ‘hard to heat’. This is based on the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) where the:

  • home is heated by oil, coal, LPG and electric
  • household has a combined annual income of less than £36,000 or receive income related benefits - such as Universal Credit

You can also apply if the home is heated by oil, coal, LPG and electric and you live in one of the following wards:

  • Shepway South
  • Shepway North
  • High Street ward

You will receive a free EPC assessment if you do not have one already.

Tenants will also be able to apply if their landlord has four or fewer properties. Landlords will be required to contribute at least one third of the upgrade cost. Total costs will be agreed before work begins.

How will it help?

You may be offered energy saving improvements to help reduce your bills and carbon emissions. This could include:

  • insulation and ventilation upgrades that will help to keep you warm in winter and cool in summer
  • an upgrade to a low carbon heating system - such as an air source heat pump
  • heating controls to ensure you only use heat when it is needed
  • an energy efficient hot water solution that will keep your water warm for longer
  • solar panels (PV) to generate electricity
  • energy and cost efficient lighting

A survey will identify what is suitable for your home and you’ll get a free updated EPC assessment once the work has been completed.

Apply for HUG2

The scheme ends in December 2024. You can apply for HUG2 funding now if you are a private tenant, a landlord or a homeowner. Applications should be submitted by the end of September 2024 to allow the measures to be installed.