Residents welcome reduced energy bills during cold winter months
More than ten homes on a single street in the borough of Great Yarmouth have received sustainable upgrades thanks to the government’s Home Upgrade Grant
Residents living in homes built before 1990 on Fallowfield in the village of Hemsby are now benefitting from sustainable upgrades.
Eleven homes on the street have been given a sustainable retrofit via the installation of air source heat pumps, solar PV and top-up loft insulation.
Upgrades were implemented via Great Yarmouth Borough Council and funded through the government’s Home Upgrade Grant Phase 2. The council works in partnership with E.ON Energy Solutions to deliver the improvement works. Our teams at Salix act as delivery agent for this scheme, working closely with our delivery partner consortium led by PwC.
One resident expressed their delight at the funding saying: “I can’t believe that we got all these items installed for free.
“We used to have standard electric heaters before and we can already see a reduction in our energy costs.”
I can’t believe that we got all these items installed for free.
We used to have standard electric heaters before and we can already see a reduction in our energy costs.
With a previous energy performance certificate (EPC) rating F, upgrades have now lifted properties to at least a band C.
EPC ratings show how energy efficient a property is, taking into account insulation, lighting and heating. They are designed to help people to understand the energy performance of a home. The numerical scale uses bandings to rate from a ‘very efficient’ A to an ‘inefficient’ G.
Paul Hill, our interim director of housing, said: “The improvement in the EPC rating from F to B and C is a massive achievement.
“For families living in these homes, where the upgrades were completed before the end of 2024, it’s meant certainty on comfort as they head into winter, with less risk of these households falling into fuel poverty during the colder months.”
For families living in these homes, where the upgrades were completed before the end of 2024, it’s meant certainty on comfort as they head into winter, with less risk of these households falling into fuel poverty during the colder months.
The homes in Fallowfield form a part of a larger scheme of upgrades offered through Great Yarmouth Borough Council, with an aim to upgrade a total of 355 homes across the town before April 2025.
The authority supports a population of around 100,000 residents.
Being located on the coast means it faces a number of challenges, including residents who are at greater risk of falling into fuel poverty.
The Home Upgrade Grant Phase 2 provides funding for councils to improve the energy performance and heating systems of off-gas-grid homes in England. The aim is to take homes out of fuel poverty and progress towards our 2050 net zero carbon emission target.
You can find out more about the scheme via our website.
