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More funding for Council’s free Energy Doctor service

26 Jun 2025, 5 p.m.

Even more residents are set to benefit from Buckinghamshire Council’s free Energy Doctor service, thanks to extra funding for this year.

Energy Doctors visit eligible residents at their homes to advise on ways households can reduce energy consumption, costs and put in place low-cost easy retrofit resource efficiency measures for the property.

Our Energy Doctors have already helped 63 households since 1 April 2025, with projected annual savings of approximately 20 tonnes of CO2 equivalents and £145 per household.

Funding of just under £550,000 from the UK government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) has now been added to support the scheme to the end of March 2026. This is on top of the previous £2m already invested in the scheme since April 2023.

Cabinet Member for Environment, Climate Change and Waste, Cllr Carl Jackson, said: “Our Energy Doctors have been working hard over the past couple of years to make a real difference to people’s homes and finances by improving their household energy efficiency. We know how much this service means to people and so we’re delighted that we have received the funding to extend it until the end of March 2026. If anyone has not yet been visited by an Energy Doctor and is eligible, please contact the team via the new dedicated phone number, or via email – [email protected].”

To qualify for a free visit, your home must meet both of the following criteria:

  • you rent the property through a private rental agreement, or own and live in the property, or you're a social housing tenant
  • you live in a domestic property with an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of D, E, F or G or if the property doesn't legally require an EPC

You must also meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • you're the only occupier of the property with an income of £36,000 or less before tax
  • there are two or more occupiers with a household income of £41,000 or less before tax
  • you're a household with dependant children and a household income of £50,000 or less before tax
  • you are in receipt of means tested benefits such as Universal Credit and Council Tax Support
  • a member of your household is disabled
  • a member of the household is of State Pension age (aged 66 or over)

Email: [email protected] or call 01296 382041

Energy Doctors can:

  • advise on ways that eligible households can reduce energy consumption and costs
  • put in place suitable ‘Low-Cost Easy Retrofit Resource Efficiency’ (LCERRE) measures

LCERRE measures, which are completely free when provided by an Energy Doctor, include:

  • Heated throws
  • draught proofing for windows, doors, letterboxes and chimneys
  • hot water cylinder insulation jackets
  • reflective radiator panels
  • secondary glazing film
  • portable solar generators
  • electricity consumption monitors
  • thermometer cards
  • LED lights

For more information visit – https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/environment/climate-change-and-sustainability/saving-energy-at-home-and-living-sustainably/request-a-visit-from-an-energy-doctor/

Call 01296382041 or email [email protected]