Free Boilers: Fact or Fiction?
Getting a free boiler replacement sounds too good to be true right? It sounds like the kind of things you hear about and get all giddy and when you learn more there is always a catch. Well not this time. You too can have a free boiler at your home for the upcoming winter season! As long as you fall within the eligibility criteria, you are good to get started.
What is the Free Boiler scheme?
The UK government has the mission to reduce fuel poverty around the country for the purpose of which every year or so different schemes are proposed. The Energy Company Obligation scheme is designed to help save money on householder’s energy bills, reduce carbon emissions, and at the same time help the environment.
The major energy companies have been put under legal obligation to provide funding to qualifying households. That is why it isn’t just a free boiler scheme, it is a scheme which provides funding for a variety of other insulation measures too.
Where is the Funding Coming from?
As explained above, major energy companies are responsible for providing you with the funds for a boiler replacement but the work doesn’t end here. Installers registered from TrustMark only are authorized to take care of the implementation of the services. So you can put your mind to ease that no one is conning you here.
TrustMark installers basically receive the funds from the energy companies and get to work at your property. Marigold Eco is registered with TrustMark so feel more than welcome to contact us to know more about your options.
Do you Qualify for the Free Boiler Scheme?
Now the only thing required of you is to check your eligibility. You qualify if you are a homeowner, your current boiler is over 8 years old and is intermittently working and you receive one of the following benefits:
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment & Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support (IS)
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
- Working Tax Credit (WTC)
- Child Tax Credits (CTC)
- Universal Credit (UC)
- Housing Benefit (new eligible benefit under ECO4)
- Pension Credit Savings Credit (new eligible benefit under ECO4)
Additional Qualification Metrics
It is understandable that many people who are in need of services like a free boiler replacement using the ECO grants don’t receive the qualifying benefits from the government. That still doesn’t mean that you should lose hope. To make sure that as many low income households get insulation services through grants as possible, your Local Authority has been granted authorisation to extend the qualifying criteria, to suit the needs of their communities.
The Local Authorities take into consideration low incomes, health, age or simply the area people live in. If you want, you can easily access the criteria online within your Local Authority area. Simply put the name of your Local Authority in a search engine followed by the words ‘ECO Statement of Intent’. This will take you through to a document on your Local Authority’s website that lists the chosen qualifying criteria for residents in your borough.
How Much Funding Do You Get?
The thing to keep in mind is that you will not receive the funds directly, rather the TrustMark installer you contact for the service will have it. The process will begin by the installer getting a quick survey of the property (this step is free of cost) so that they know just how much of the funding is needed depending on the condition of the boiler.
Calculating the exact amount of funding is complicated. In simple words, it all depends on the property type and the lifetime savings which is the typical bill savings the new boiler replacement will attract over its lifetime.
Most of the boiler replacements are absolutely free however in some cases if the boiler isn’t completely in need of changing, the customer might have to pitch in a small contribution.