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What is the Warm Front scheme?

The Warm Front scheme provides heating and insulation improvements to households on certain income-related benefits living in properties that are poorly insulated and/or do not have a working central heating system.

Qualifying households can get improvements worth up to £3,500 (£6,000 where oil central heating and other alternative technologies are recommended).

Grants are available for improvements such as:

• loft insulation
  
• draughtproofing
  
• cavity wall insulation
  
• hot water tank insulation
  
• gas, electric, liquid petroleum gas or oil heating
  
• glass-fronted fire - the Warm Front scheme can convert your solid-fuel open fire to a glass-fronted fire

You won’t have to pay anything as long as the work doesn’t cost more than the grant available. If the cost of the work is more than the grant available you'll have to make a contribution to enable work to go ahead. Work will not start without making sure you are willing and able to pay the difference. 

Eligibility for the Warm Front scheme

The scheme is now targeted at people on certain income-related benefits and living in properties that are poorly insulated and/or do not have a working central heating system. You must own your home or rent it from a private landlord.

The Warm Front scheme is only available in England. Other schemes are available in the rest of the UK (see ‘More useful links’). 

Benefits and financial support

Eligible customers are all those awarded:

• Pension Credit or;
  
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance that includes a work-related activity or support component (this includes contribution based ESA customers in the support group who get an income related top up because they automatically qualify for the enhanced disability premium payable with income related ESA)

And those awarded:

• Income Support or;
  
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, or;
  
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance in the assessment phase (first 13 weeks of the claim)

Who must also have one of the following:

• a pensioner premium. or;
  
• a disability or severe disability premium, or;
  
• an award of child tax credit that also includes an element for a disabled,  or severely disabled child or young person, or;
  
• a child under the age of five living with you

In addition to the qualifying benefits listed above, the property you live in must also be poorly insulated and/or not have a working central heating system. 

If your application continues, you will then be visited by a Warm Front surveyor, who will measure the energy efficiency of your home using a Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP). The surveyor will then make recommendations on which energy efficiency improvements are most appropriate for your property.

You should be aware that the surveyor may find that the energy efficiency of your home is above the threshold required to benefit from the scheme. If this is the case you will not be provided with any recommendations and you will be left with details of where else you may be able to get energy advice and help.

The Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP), is the government's recommended system for measuring the energy rating of residential properties. To be eligible for Warm Front your home must have a SAP rating of 55 or below. This is equivalent to the start of a Band D Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).

For more information on SAP and EPC, follow the links below.

• Standard Assessment Procedure Opens new window

• Energy Performance Certificates - what they are

Apply for a Warm Front grant

You can apply for the Warm Front scheme in any of the following ways:

Apply online

To apply online, follow the the link below.

• Apply for a Warm Front grant Opens new window

You can also email your contact details to the address below. An advisor will then call you back.

enquiry@carillionplc.com

Apply over the phone

Call 0800 316 2805 (or textphone 0800 072 0156). An advisor will then take you through the application form.

Lines are open Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 6.00 pm and Saturday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm.

Apply by post

You can download and print a Warm Front application form by following the link below.

Send the completed application form to:

Carillion Energy Services
Freepost NEA12054
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE2 1BR

• Download a Warm Front application form (PDF, 394K)

• Help with PDF files

How the Warm Front scheme works

There are four steps in the Warm Front scheme:

Step 1: Application

Apply online, by post or over the phone (see ‘apply for a Warm Front grant).

Step 2: Technical survey

If your application is successful, a Warm Front engineer will visit your home and suggest which improvements could be made under the scheme. You will be given an appointment for a survey when your application is processed. If during this survey it is identified that the problems relate to a gas heating system that could easily be repaired within a three hour time limit, then the Warm Front engineer will carry out the work whilst at your home. If during the survey it is identified that the energy efficiency of your home is above the threshold required to benefit from the scheme, you will not be provided with any recommendations and you will be given details of where else you may be able to get energy advice and help.

Step 3: Allocation of a Warm Front installer

An installer will be allocated to you following your survey. The installer will then be in touch to agree a installation date.

Step 4: Installation work

Fully-trained Warm Front installers will make the improvements in your home. We aim to have insulation work completed within 3 months of your technical survey and heating works completed within a maximum of five months of your survey.

After Installation

A random sample of installations will be inspected following installation. This is to ensure the highest standards of work are maintained within the scheme. If your property is chosen in this sample you will be contacted by Carillion Energy Services to arrange a suitable inspection date.

All customers that receive a new or replacement gas heating system will also get an aftercare service that includes an annual service visit.

Useful contacts

For further information, or if you have any questions about your application, contact Carillion Energy Services (the company that runs the scheme):

enquiry@carillionplc.com

Telephone: 0800 316 2805 T

Textphone: 0800 072 0156

Carillion Energy Services Customer Management Team
Freepost NEA12054
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE2 1BR

• Download Warm Front scheme: handling complaints (PDF, 353K)

• Download Warm Front scheme customer promise (PDF, 178K)

• Help with PDF files

More useful links

• Energy grants

• Wales – Home Energy Efficiency Scheme Opens new window

• Scotland Energy Assistance Package Opens new window

• Northern Ireland - Warm Homes Opens new window