Thousands of households can get grants for boiler replacements under little-known scheme – and you could save £840

THOUSANDS of households can get grants for replacing their old boiler – and you could save £840 on your energy bills.

The Energy Company Obligation is a government scheme to help hard-up households make their home more energy efficient.

You can get grants for insulation, and also new boilers, which can help drive down your energy bills.

The help could be a lifeline for households struggling to pay for soaring costs this winter as the weather gets colder.

Here’s who is eligible for the scheme – and how to apply.

Who is eligible?

You might qualify for the help if you live in private housing and get one of the following benefits:

• Child Tax Credit
• Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit
• Pension Guarantee Credit
• Pension Savings Credit
• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Child Benefit
• Housing Benefit

If you own your home, it must have an energy efficiency rating of D, E, F or G.

Whereas if you rent from a private landlord, the house must have an energy efficiency rating of E, F or G.

If you’re unsure of how to find out your home’s energy efficiency rating, you can use the government’s energy certificate checker tool online.

Which suppliers are signed up?

The following suppliers are signed up to the ECO scheme:

• British Gas
• Bulb
• E (Gas & Electricity)
• E.ON
• Ecotricity
• EDF
• ESB Energy
• Octopus Energy
• Outfox the Market
• OVO (including SSE)
• Scottish Power
• Shell Energy
• So Energy
• Utility Warehouse
• Utilita

How much can I get?

There is no cap on funding that households can get for a new boiler.

It means that you could get a grant to cover the total cost of a replacement boiler.

A new boiler costs an average of between £1,000 and £3,500, according to British Gas estimates.

How much can I save on my energy bills?

Replacing your old boiler with a new energy-efficient one could save you hundreds.

Boilers that are 10 years or older are much more likely to be inefficient, according to energy comparison site Bionic.

Old boilers are only 60% efficient, which means 40% of energy needed to run them is wasted.

This means you’re unnecessarily driving up your energy bills.

According to British Gas estimates, you can save as much as £840 by replacing your old boiler with an energy-efficient one.

How do I apply?

You should contact your energy supplier directly for the help.

Sometimes, the scheme is carried out through local councils – so you should contact yours to see if they’re signed up.

You can find who your local council is by using the gov.uk’s authority tool checker.