Give your home a HUG with HEET!

HEET (Home Energy Efficiency Tees Valley) comprises Darlington, Hartlepool, Stockton-on-Tees and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Councils.

It aims to help people whose homes don’t have gas central heating and which are powered by other means, through the installation of measures such as insulation, double glazing, air source heat pumps and solar panels.

All of the energy efficiency measures are free to qualifying residents.

Councillor Mike Young, Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “It is tremendous news that we have secured this money to help homeowners improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

“As a Council, we are determined to reduce our carbon footprint and reduce emissions, and we would urge residents to do the same. I would encourage residents to check whether they qualify for support and, if they do, to let us know the sort of energy efficiency measures they are interested in.”

Some people may automatically qualify for help through their postcode, with no financial checks. Otherwise, their household gross income must be less than £31,000 or they should be in receipt of a qualifying means-tested benefit, including Universal Credit, Working and Child Tax Credits, Income Support, income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Carers Allowance and Pension Credit Guarantee.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) do not count towards the income threshold.

Although formal grant applications are not yet being taken, HEET is asking people to check if they qualify for support and, if they do, to register an interest in the types of energy efficiency measures they would like to see installed in their homes. They can do this at www.hartlepool.gov.uk/HEET-register

Properties must also have an energy performance rating of D, E, F or G. To find an existing energy certificate or to get a new one visit https://www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate