Millions of Pounds in Funding for a Range of Eco-Measures in Scarborough Borough Housing

Eco improvements could be coming to some of the Scarborough Borough's most energy inefficient houses.

Houses in the Scarborough Borough will benefit from a share of £8m of funding for eco improvements.

The government cash has been given to North Yorkshire to to target homes in the Scarborough District, Hambleton and Ryedale which suffer from poor energy efficiency.

The money will be used for things like insulation, solar panels and air source heat pumps.

Councillor Greg White is the county council's executive member for climate change, he says the money is very welcome.

Carbon dioxide emissions from homes in North Yorkshire ranks as the second highest after transport, and a concerted drive has been launched to bring in a raft of improvements in the county’s housing stock.

Officers from North Yorkshire County Council have worked alongside colleagues in the county’s district and borough authorities to secure the funding, which will be used to target homes in the Scarborough district as well as Hambleton and Ryedale.

The money will finance the introduction of a wide range of improvements from insulation and solar panels to air source heat pumps and high-heat retention electric storage heaters.

The scheme is also being introduced to help counter the cost of living crisis by providing residents with the opportunity to save money from their energy bills, which are at an all-time high with warnings that they will increase again in the winter.

Cllr Greg White said:

“If we are to reduce both fuel poverty and carbon dioxide emissions, we need to both radically improve home insulation and switch households to cleaner, sustainable and more energy efficient heating.  

“This is a great opportunity for hard-pressed householders to get the necessary work done for free and for private landlords to access major discounts.”

Emissions from domestic properties in North Yorkshire are 1,058 kilotonnes carbondioxide equivalents (ktCO2e) in 2019, which equates to 23 per cent of total emissions.

There are particular issues in rural parts of North Yorkshire where homes often date back several centuries and remain energy inefficient.

The vast geographical spread of England’s largest county means that to co-ordinate a programme of energy efficiency upgrades to homes through sparsely populated countryside communities is both costly and difficult to co-ordinate.

Transport causes the greatest amount of emissions in the county and is responsible for 1,966 ktCO2e in 2019 – the equivalent of 43 per cent of total emissions.

The new scheme, which is called the North Yorkshire Home Efficiency Fund, is offering a range of fully-funded energy-saving home improvements to eligible homeowners.  

The amount of funding available is up to £25,000 for each home, although most properties will receive upgrades up to the value of £10,000. As many as 500 homes are expected to benefit from the scheme.

The county council’s executive member for health and adult services, Cllr Michael Harrison, said:

“This funding will not only provide a vital new stream of revenue for much-needed improvements to homes to help tackle carbon emissions and make the properties more energy efficient, but it will also help improve the health of residents.

“The improvements will mean homes are heated more efficiently allowing residents to be able to keep warm and ensuring energy bills do not escalate even further, freeing up household finances so that money is available, for instance, to provide decent meals.

“It has been a big team effort with our colleagues in the district and borough councils to secure the funding, and I would like to pay tribute to the collaborations.”  

Tenants in privately rented homes are also able to apply, although landlords must contribute a third of the total costs of the improvements.

The property type will dictate the improvements that householders can receive, which could include insulation, solar panels, air source heat pumps and high heat retention electric storage heaters.

North Yorkshire County Council is working with energy experts from YES Energy Solutions to help residents qualify for the scheme.

During the last financial year, YES Energy Solutions transformed the energy efficiency of more than 2,900 homes, cutting customer fuel bills by £36 million over the lifetime of the improvements installed.

To qualify for the new scheme, residents must have a household income of £30,000 or less, or receive means-tested benefits.

Properties must also be technically suitable for the measures available in the scheme and have a low energy efficiency rating.  

The council's executive member for climate change - Councillor Greg White - says the £8m is a good chunk of cash, and they intend to bid for more grants in the future.