HEEPS Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland

HEEPS is the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland.
This is the Scottish Government’s initiative to tackle fuel poverty and increase energy efficiency in homes.

HEEPS is a cluster of programmes currently including:

Area Based Schemes (ABS)
Warmer Homes Scotland
Home Energy Scotland Loan Scheme
Equity Loan Pilot Scheme

Calls about HEEPS are managed by the Home Energy Scotland hotline. It offers energy efficiency advice, information on low cost energytariffs, and advice on income maximisation, as well as a wide range of energy efficiency measures.

HEEPS: Area Based Schemes (ABS)

ABS follows an area-based approach which initially focuses on the most deprived areas and communities in Scotland.

These schemes draw on a wide range of data, including indices of multiple deprivation, child poverty, the Scottish House Condition Survey and heat mapping.

ABS is intended to cover all homes in Scotland in 10 years from 2013 until 2023. It is the local authorities responsibility to deliver the programmes as they are best placed through the use of Local Housing Strategies, to understand the nature of housing provision and to coordinate a local supply-chain.
Available measures depend upon on the individual local authority schemes which if approved, are free to the householder and open to all tenures. £49 million of funding is available from the Scottish Government with 2018-2019 alone. A summary of the delivery outcomes of the 2015-2016 Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland is available here

HEEPS: Warmer Homes Scotland

The HEEPS scheme was launched in September 2015 with a £224 Million over a 7 year period.
The scheme is managed by Warmworks Scotland (a consortium of Changeworks, the Energy Saving Trust and Everwarm).
The budget for 2018 – 2019 is £24 million of funding

The scheme is open to low-income homeowners or tenants of private sector landlords. There are conditions that need to be met and specific benefits received in order to qualify for this funding. Potential measures include wall insulation, loft insulation, draught-proofing, central heating and renewables.

For further information and to apply, contact Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282.

The most recent annual review of the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme, covering September 2016 to March 2017 can be viewed here

Home Energy Scotland Loan Scheme

This loan scheme which launched in May 2017 provides interest-free, unsecured loans of up to £32,500 per home to owner occupiers and registered private sector landlords in Scotland. This is to install energy efficiency measures such as wall insulation, double glazing, boilers, warm air units and other forms of renewable technologies.
This loan scheme combines the previous HEEPS: Loans scheme and the Home Energy Scotland Renewable Loan Scheme. It contains an up to 25% cash back offer for a limited time.
The budget for 2018-2019 is £31 million.

HEEPS: Equity Loan Pilot Scheme

The scheme was launched in January 2017 in three local authority areas (Glasgow City, Argyll and Bute, and Perth and Kinross) and has now been extended (as of June 2018) to include Inverclyde, Renfrewshire, Stirling, Dundee and the Western Isles. The scheme provides equity loans to home owners on low incomes, and small landlords, to help them make essential repairs to leaking roofs and building structures in order to make their homes warmer. This is often essential work that is required before the installation of energy efficiency measures, such as solid wall insulation.

Loans of up to £40,000 are available and can be used either alone or as part of a package with other Scottish Government grants.
At least 45% of the funding must be for energy efficiency improvements or works that reduce heat loss.

Full conditions and details of repayments and how to apply are on the Home Energy Scotland website

This film celebrates the successful Area Based Schemes in South Ayrshire, East Ayrshire & Dumfries & Galloway.

The Scottish Government Warmer Homes Scotland scheme is open to homeowners and private sector tenants who have lived in their property for at least 12 months, and who meet the qualifying conditions.

The full eligibility criteria are available on the Energy Saving Trust website at www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.

The energy efficiency measures offered depend on a survey of the property. You can apply for Warmer Homes Scotland if you are eligible even if you have already had help from a government programme. The cost of installing the measures identified in the survey of the property will be covered by the Scottish Government. Energy efficiency measures that may be offered include:

wall insulation
loft insulation
draught-proofing
central heating
renewables.

Downloads Case Study

There is more information available on the Energy Saving Trust website energysavingtrust.org.uk or you can call Home Energy Scotland.

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