Home Energy Efficiency

Help and advice on improving the energy efficiency of your home

Argyll and Bute Council’s Home Energy Efficiency Team is committed to helping home owners and private-rented tenants in Argyll and Bute improve the energy efficiency of their homes, reduce their fuel bills and help to ensure they can live in warm, comfortable homes.

Through the Scottish Government’s Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme (ABS) grants are available to homeowners and private-rented tenants to install the following energy efficiency measures to your home:

  • External wall insulation
  • Internal wall insulation
  • Cavity wall insulation
  • Loft insulation
  • Underfloor insulation
  • Room-in-Roof Insulation

To qualify, your home must be in Council Tax Band A, B or C

Householders in Council Tax Band D are also eligible if the property has an energy rating (EPC rating) of E to G

Island-based Householders, in addition to the above, in Council Tax Band E to H are eligible if the property has an energy rating (EPC rating) of E to G

(Argyll and Bute Council will confirm your energy rating if you don’t know it – there will be no cost for this)

How to apply

For all energy efficiency improvement schemes, please contact our referral partner Home Energy Scotland in the first instance free on 0808 808 2282.

Home Energy Scotland, the Scottish Government’s free energy advice service, provides impartial advice and support to help you stay warm, make the best use of energy and save money on your energy bills. They can also help you find out if you’re eligible for an ABS grant and if there are any other avenues of help or assistance.

Visit homeenergyscotland.org for more information or call free on 0808 808 2282 to speak to a Home Energy Scotland Advisor.

Fuel Poverty

The new Scottish definition of fuel poverty is:

A household is in fuel poverty if the household’s fuel costs (necessary to meet the requisite temperature and amount of hours as well as other reasonable fuel needs) are more than 10% of the household’s adjusted net income and after deducting these fuel costs, benefits received for a care need or disability, childcare costs, the household’s remaining income is not enough to maintain an acceptable standard of living.

(Source:  Fuel Poverty (Targets, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Act 2019)

Who Can Get Help?

There are numerous financial schemes available to help all private owners, tenants and landlords together with regional and local agencies to give advice and support.  Most Housing Associations will have services to aid and assist their tenants.

Housing Association tenants should contact their Landlord in the first instance for advice and assistance.

Help and Advice

The Scottish Government have established a home energy advice agency called Home Energy Scotland.  They have information on all available funding programmes available in Argyll and Bute and are the entry point for most energy efficiency schemes.  This includes the Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme programme managed by Argyll & Bute Council. Contact Home Energy Scotland free on 0808 808 2282.

Home Energy Scotland can also provide wide ranging advice and information and can refer to other agencies. 

The following grant schemes are currently available in Argyll and Bute:

Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme – This insulation programme is eligible for Council Tax Band A-C properties (and D with an EPC rating of Band E, F or G). 
And in addition to the above for Island properties, Council Tax Band E to H with an EPC rating of Band E, F or G.  

(An estimate of EPC rating will be provided by Home Energy Scotland and will be confirmed by Argyll and Bute Council.  There is no charge for this.)

Warmer Homes Scotland – This scheme offers funding and support to households struggling to stay warm and keep on top of energy bills.

Home Energy Scotland Loan – The Home Energy Scotland Loan can provide interest free loan funding for energy efficiency measures or to install renewable measures such as heat pumps or battery storage.  Cashback funding may also be available, please check current position with Home Energy Scotland.

TA Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan is available in addition to ABS grants to support landlords to install energy efficiency and renewable energy measures to reduce the EPC rating of the property in line with Scottish Government Regulations.  Home Energy Scotland can provide free impartial advice on energy efficiency and the latest Scottish Government regulations for the private rented sector.  Contact them free on 0808 808 2282.

The Council’s Welfare Rights Team aims to ensure that the residents of Argyll and Bute are not missing out on their entitlement to benefits and other related help by providing a free, confidential and impartial benefits advice, information and appeal representation service.

How to contact the Welfare Rights Team:

You can refer yourself (or someone else) to the Welfare Rights Team using the Online Form

Or you can phone and speak to Welfare Rights by calling 01546 605517.

Our Partners       

The Home Energy Efficiency Team aims to promote and coordinate the work of local organisations with common aims of improving home energy efficiency, reducing fuel poverty and making a positive change to the challenges of climate change.

Our Partners include the following: 

  • Home Energy Scotland - Freephone 0808 8082282
  • ALIenergy, covering the whole of Argyll and Bute - Contact 01631 565183
  • Registered Social Landlords and Housing Associations: ACHA, Dunbritton Housing Association, Fyne Homes and West Highland Housing Association
  • Argyll and Bute Care and Repair
  • Citizens Advice Bureau
  • Islay Energy Trust
  • Iona Renewables

All of these organisations are members of the Argyll and Bute Energy Efficiency Forum.

The Council’s Welfare Rights Team aims to ensure that the residents of Argyll and Bute are not missing out on their entitlement to benefits and other related help by providing a free, confidential and impartial benefits advice, information and appeal representation service.

How to contact the Welfare Rights Team:

You can refer yourself (or someone else) to the Welfare Rights Team using the Online Form

Or you can phone and speak to Welfare Rights by calling 01546 605517.

Climate Change

Argyll and Bute Council have produced a Decarbonisation Plan to address Climate Change and are working towards being a ‘net zero’ organisation by 2045.  The plan supports and promotes activities undertaken by the Council’s Climate Change Board. 

Climate change is expected to influence warmer, wetter weather in Scotland, providing more irregular and harsher weather conditions.  This will have an adverse effect on housing through increased levels of condensation, damp and mould. 

The Scottish Government’s Climate Change (Emissions Reductions Targets)(Scotland) Act 2019 sets targets to reduce Scotland’s emission of all greenhouse gases to net-zero by 2045 at the latest, with interim targets for reduction of at least:-

  • 56% by 2020 based on 1990 levels
  • 75% by 2030 based on 1990 levels
  • 90% by 2040 based on 1990 levels
  • 100% by 2045 (net-zero emissions)

Argyll & Bute Council are working towards these targets through the various energy efficiency programmes and initiatives outlined above.  This ensures that we are working towards reducing our greenhouse gas emissions; adapting to climate change, and ensuring that advice and support is in place to assist people to live a more sustainable and energy efficient lifestyle.

Housing Services Contacts

If you have any queries regarding any of the information above please contact: 

Jacqueline Westerman, Energy Efficiency Officer
Tel: 01586 555943,
E-Mail: jacqueline.westerman@argyll-bute.gov.uk 

or

Brenda Galbraith,
Energy Efficiency Assistant
Tel: 01546 604254,
Email: brenda.galbraith@argyll-bute.gov.uk

Or write to the Team at:

Argyll and Bute Council, Kilmory, Lochgilphead PA31 8RT

Alternatively, you can contact Home Energy Scotland, the national energy efficiency Freephone helpline on: 0808 808 2282

Argyll & Bute Council ECO4 Statement

For further information or access to a signed copy of the Council’s ECO4 Statement of Intent please contact us.

ECO4 Statement of Intent

Did you find what you were looking for?

Why wasn't this information helpful

Limit to 250 characters.