Winter is coming: Energy bill support from HEAT Plus

With the cold weather beginning to set in, it’s that time of year when people start to worry about the cost of heating their homes. A home energy visit from the HEAT Plus team may be able to help residents with lower energy bills.  And with the Warm Homes Local Grant now available to Surrey residents, the team might be able to support your application for home energy grants of up to £30,000 to keep your home warm, cosy, and free of damp and mould. 

It’s not always easy to understand energy grant requirements. The eligibility criteria can be confusing and it’s not always apparent what these grants can do to improve your health and happiness.

But fear not, Surrey’s Home Energy Advice Team (HEAT) was set up to help vulnerable Surrey residents navigate the often-confusing topic of home energy upgrades, and the ‘sister service’ HEAT Plus is specifically designed to help find solutions for residents who are struggling to pay energy bills or have fuel debt.

Below you can see some anonymised cased studies of the excellent work being done by the HEAT Plus team across Surrey. As well as being able to help you understand if you’re eligible for up to £30,000 of support for home energy and heating upgrades – and even supporting you in completing your application – they might be able to help with the cost of trusted tradespeople for heating or insulation issues, or provide energy efficiency measures for a quick-fix to problems causing your home to be cold and damp.

The process to get support from HEAT Plus is straightforward:

1. Apply for a regular Home Energy Advice Team visit: the visit is totally free, provided by an independent Surrey charity.  A trained Energy Champion will visit your home, and can even do free thermal imaging scans for you.
2. The HEAT team will assess whether you are eligible for a HEAT+ visit.
3. If you are, the HEAT+ team will contact you to arrange a follow up, including up to 5 hours additional support – again, totally free. (If anyone tries to charge you for a visit, they are not affiliated with HEAT or HEAT Plus).

You can also apply directly for a Warm Homes Local Grant by contacting Surrey County Council, and can view more information on the Warm Homes grant here.

Read on below to see what residents are saying about HEAT Plus…

Woking

Ms I lives on her own in a flat in Woking. Her flat has no central heating and is not connected to mains gas. Ms AI was struggling to keep warm at home with just two electric radiators for the whole flat, which were also proving expensive to run. We carried out a HEAT Plus home visit in October 2024.

As well as providing support in getting a review of her energy bills with her provider, we identified that Ms I might be eligible for a HUG2 grant and helped her complete an application. She was successful and new storage heaters and improved loft insulation have been installed, resulting in a much warmer home. We also arranged for a trusted local trader to clear Ms I’s loft prior to the insulation going in as she was unable to do this herself.

‘I was getting ill because of the cold and would go to the local shops or sit in my car just to keep warm. I am so grateful for the grant and the help; I am not getting ill any more and I actually want to be at home. My home is now a haven.’

Runnymede

Mr F is a blind and elderly resident, living in his own flat in Runnymede. His old electric storage heaters were failing to keep his home warm or provide enough control over his heating, and he was struggling with cold and draughts.

After carrying out a HEAT Plus home survey, we identified that Mr JF might be eligible for a HUG2 grant and encouraged him to complete the application, which was successful. New electric heaters were installed in his flat, which along with the draught-proofing measures and guidance on energy tariffs we provided, means he is now enjoying a much warmer home and lower energy bills.

‘My total lack of sight was very sensitively considered…everyone involved in planning and making it all work so well deserves my congratulations….Thank you very much HEAT Surrey!’

Mole Valley

Ms L is a single mum living in a listed (1600s) cottage in Mole Valley. She was suffering from mould and damp throughout her home, which is mostly single-glazed, and struggling to make ends meet financially.

Following a HEAT home energy survey, we supplied Ms CL with seasonal glazing film for her windows along with a dehumidifier. This has resulted in far lower humidity in her home, greatly reducing damp and mould and helping them all feel warmer.

‘When we first started using the dehumidifier, our room (humidity) readings ranged from 76-82%….amazingly we are now seeing readings of between 48-60%….The walls in there are no longer damp to the touch plus it feels predominantly warmer as well….please can you thank whomever it was who authorised this game-changing purchase for me and the kids.’