If you don’t have a clear idea of what a storage heater is, then it may be to your advantage to read on. Electricity supplied to homes across the country from the national grid is not measured on a one-price for all basis. In recognition of the fact that demand for power has peaks and troughs across the day, electricity suppliers charge accordingly.
The lowest tariff is the one that applies to off-peak overnight electricity because in the small hours, consumption as a whole is significantly lower than during the days and evenings which means pressure on the grid is considerably lighter. The electricity you use at night time is correspondingly cheaper.
Of course, that’s not much use to you if you’re asleep. However, herein lies the beauty of storage heaters. These ingenious devices draw on electricity overnight, heating up internal elements which can then release the stored heat throughout the day. An efficient storage heater delivers significant savings on your electricity bill.
The Storage Heaters Grant
It’s important for your heater to work efficiently and many appliances across the country are known to be old or under-performing, which is why the government has introduced grants for storage heaters in the UK. The thinking is simple: for those on benefits or modest incomes, utility bills represent one of the biggest household expenses, so it makes sense to enable these households to take full advantage of low tariff off-peak power. At the same time, it is an environmentally friendly measure, so everyone benefits.
The storage heaters grant has been developed to give all eligible households access to help in upgrading their storage heaters. It has been designed to fund or contribute to the cost of maximising heating efficiency in millions of homes across the UK.
Eligibility, at present, is limited to those who own their own home. For practical reasons, such as issues around property ownership in the case of private landlords, for example, the storage heaters grant is not available to residents in private or social rented property. However, a storage heater is a great long-term money saving investment for all residents so we’d recommend you consider it even without the grant.
Eligibility for the free storage heater grant is also measured by income, occupancy and number of dependents and there is a sliding scale which makes it simple for you to find out if you can apply. If you are receiving universal credit or other benefits or you feel your income is low, it’s well worth checking if you qualify.
How do you apply for your free storage heater grant? It’s easy. The grant is administered under the government’s Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme. You can find full eligibility details on our website here at Next Energy where there is a simple application process. Alternatively, visit gov.uk.
Take hold of this helping hand today and watch your heating costs tumble.
