Council’s new ‘Energy Doctor’ scheme is helping low-income households save money

Buckinghamshire has been allocated £5.8 million of UKSPF money to spend until the end of March 2025. Councillors approved plans to use the funding to support local businesses and drive skills training, as well as creating a new Domestic Resource Efficiency Service – the ‘Energy Doctor’ scheme. The Energy Doctor initiative is already helping some households struggling with energy costs.

Under the Energy Doctor scheme, domestic resource efficiency officers from the council are visiting qualifying homes to assess and advise on measures that can reduce energy consumption and costs.

The team also implements suitable low-cost measures such as:

• draught proofing
• hot water cylinder insulation jackets
• reflective radiator panels
• secondary glazing film
• LED lights

The scheme is initially providing a helping hand to low-income households living in privately rented homes. It’s hoped each household taking part in the scheme will save around £100 a year in energy costs as a result.

The Energy Doctor scheme compliments the support already facilitated by Buckinghamshire Council under the Sustainable Warmth programme where the energy performance of over 200 homes has been improved and the Home Upgrade Grant 2 which will run until March 2025. The measures under the Sustainable Warmth and Home Upgrade Grant 2 programmes involve major work to the building fabric (such as external wall insulation) and take much longer, whereas the measures provided under the Energy Doctor scheme are smaller scale but still help to cut down on energy use and bills. They are quicker and easier to put in and can be removed if needed.

Gareth Williams, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, said:

“The Energy Doctor initiative is a really important scheme that we’re pleased to bring forward in Buckinghamshire to directly address the cost-of-living pressures.

“We all know that current high energy costs are one of the biggest pressures on household budgets at the moment. Reducing energy use is an important way to reduce bills, so I’m really delighted that we can bring this programme in alongside the others already in motion that are all aimed at helping low-income households reduce energy use and cost.”

To qualify for an Energy Doctor visit, your home must meet all of the following criteria:

• you rent the property through a private rental agreement, or own and live in the property
• your household has an income of £30,000 or less (before tax), is in receipt of means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit and Council Tax Support, or a member of your household is disabled
• the domestic property you live in has an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of D, E, F or G, or does not legally require an EPC

Visits will be prioritised for those who meet these eligibility criteria and live in Opportunity Bucks areas.

To find out more about the Energy Doctor scheme, and to request a visit, go to the council’s website.

In addition to the Energy Doctor scheme, funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund is also be used to provide extra support for businesses around energy costs and consumption. This programme is initially prioritising businesses in ten Buckinghamshire Council wards in Aylesbury, High Wycombe and Chesham as identified in the council’s Opportunity Bucks ‘Levelling Up’ programme. This support will help those businesses to reduce their energy consumption.