Home energy

The typical timescale from submitting your application form to completed installation could range from 2 to 6 months*, depending on the work that needs doing.

1. Submit expression of interest form

Fill in the short expression of interest form. This form will come through to the Warm Homes team who will carry out some basic checks to see if you are eligible.

2. Application visit

If it looks like you are eligible, the Warm Homes team will contact you to arrange a time to visit you, check any required evidence (for example bank statements), and fill out the application with you.

3. Confirmation of being eligible for the scheme

The Warm Homes team will be in touch to let you know if you are eligible. If you are eligible, arrangements will be made for a Retrofit Assessor to visit you.

4. Retrofit assessment survey

A Retrofit Assessor, appointed by Herefordshire Council, will arrange to visit and carry out an initial survey, to see how your home uses and loses energy.

The visit may take up to 2-3 hours. An assessor will look at your home energy use, the condition the building is in, how it is ventilated and how you and those you live with use the space.

This assessment looks at your home as a whole and considers its readiness to be upgraded with energy saving improvements, in order to build a plan that makes the most effective improvements first.

Your assessor will pass the information from the survey to a Retrofit Coordinator who will oversee the whole process.

4b. Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) survey

An EPC survey considers simple data about your home and rates its energy efficiency on a scale from A to G, where A is the most efficient and G the least.

The Warm Homes Local Grant can only fund improvements to properties rated D, E, F or G. The less efficient the home, the greater the potential for saving energy.

If your home has not had a recent EPC survey, this will be carried out by one of the scheme assessors.

5. Technical surveys

The retrofit assessment survey may identify that technical surveys are required. The installers will visit your home to undertake technical surveys and measure up.

More than one visit may be required if multiple improvements are planned for your home.

6. Design

The Warm Homes team will appoint a Retrofit Designer to design the improvements to your home, based on the retrofit assessment survey.

They are responsible for planning the fine detail of improvement works and work with architects, installers and other specialists to design the best 'mix' of improvements for your home.

7. Discuss the design

The Retrofit Coordinator, appointed by Herefordshire Council, will be in touch with you to discuss the proposed design of energy saving improvements for your home.

They will explain what is proposed, talk through how it will look and work, and answer any questions you have.

They are also responsible for making sure the work done to improve your home follows all required industry standards, so that you can be confident the work is being done carefully, and to the highest quality.

Find out more about the energy saving improvements that may be proposed.

8. Receive offer letter

The Warm Homes team will submit the plans to the government to confirm funding, and then send you an offer letter with all the details in it, including the proposed energy saving improvements for your home.

9. Return offer letter

When you receive the offer letter, you have the opportunity to ask any questions about the proposed improvements. Once you are ready to agree to the proposals, you then sign and return the offer letter to the Warm Homes team.

10. Scheduling

Your installers will contact you to schedule a date to complete the energy saving improvements to your home. They have been appointed to work on the Warm Homes Local Grant in Herefordshire.

11. Installation

Your energy saving improvements will be installed in your home. This may take a few days depending on the measures involved.

Find out more about the installation stage, including who will be doing the work, insurance, if you have any concerns about the work, and warranties and guarantees.

12. Follow up

The Warm Homes team will follow up with you approximately three months after installation to check everything is OK, and offer further support if you need it. The Warm Homes team will keep in touch with you throughout the process, and you can contact them at any point if you have queries or need assistance.

*Please note, the timescale will depend on individual circumstances, and if it is extended the Warm Homes team will be in touch with you