Energy advice

High gas and electricity prices are a causing concern for many residents and businesses.

On this page:

• Support you can access yourself
• Support we offer
• Government and other financial support

There are several ways you may be able to reduce your energy costs, including:

• taking simple steps to reduce the energy you use
• making your home more energy efficient
• applying for free help and support

Charities, energy companies and the regulator Ofgem all offer free advice.

Our team may also be able to help you access grants or support from a range of schemes.

Support you can access yourself

Help with prepayment energy costs

If your prepayment meters are about to run out of credit and you don't have any funds to top up, you need to contact your energy supplier.

Your supplier will be able to issue a credit voucher or extend your emergency credit.

If your supplier tells you that they can't help, you can ask the Citizens Advice extra help unit to speak to them on your behalf:

• contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on phone: 0808 223 1133
• using the extra help unit online referral form (do not use this option if you need help the same day)

Save energy at home and reduce your bills

Information on saving energy and reducing your bills at home is available online from many sources.

This advice can help you to:

• reduce your energy use - energy saving tips
• reduce your energy use - energy saving improvements
• understand your energy bills
• get help if you can't afford your energy bills
• see if you could benefit from having smart meters installed

Sustainable Warmth - apply for energy upgrades to your home

The council secured an additional £1million from the Government to build on the delivery of the £3million Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery (GHG LAD) scheme.

The Sustainable Warmth scheme is targeted at residents who: 

• own their homes or rent from a private landlord;
• have a gross household income of £30,000 per year or less;
• live in homes with a low energy rating (an EPC of D/E/F/G)

The scheme can fund measures such as:

• wall, loft and floor insulation,
• low carbon heating
• solar panels

The Sustainable Warmth scheme funding is currently fully allocated, but you can still register interest by contacting our delivery partner Warmworks

Apply for money off low carbon heating technologies

Check the Boiler Upgrade Scheme guidance and  how to apply.

Advice for business

The energy regulator Ofgem offers a general guide to business gas and electricity use.

Support we offer

Broken boiler replacements

Residents can be referred to the LEAP scheme (formerly ECHO) if:

• they are a home owner with a broken boiler; AND
• they claim a means tested benefit OR have a gross household income under £31,000 per year; AND
• they are aged over 65 OR aged under 5 OR suffering from cancer, terminal illness, cardiovascular or respiratory condition,  disability (affecting mobility) or a mental health condition;

 Please email our domestic advice team to enquire. LEAP cannot help with inefficient boilers that are still working.

Energy advice and grants

Our Energy Services team provides expert advice and support for residents and businesses in Newcastle.

This includes work to:

• improve energy efficiency
• help households to keep warm at a reasonable cost (reduce fuel poverty)
• offer energy saving and fuel debt advice

If you have been unable to find the support you need please contact us:

• email our domestic advice team (for homes) 
• email our utilities advice team (for businesses and all other non domestic advice)

Free business energy audit

Small and medium sized businesses in Newcastle can also apply for a free energy audit through our business energy saving team (BEST)

This will:

• identify potential energy improvements and savings
• develop a plan to help you achieve them
• help your firm access funding for energy improvements
• cut your greenhouse gas emissions

Please note that while the first phase of the BEST programme is now complete, businesses can also continue to register their interest, for potential future support.

Advice for landlords and tenants

Our private rented service offers free advice and support to help landlords ensure their properties meet legal requirements.

They also can support tenants who have problems with energy efficiency or heating systems.

Find out more on our minimum energy efficiency standards page.

If you rent your home from Your Homes Newcastle you can access extra support, including an energy saving check up.

Crisis support

Our crisis support scheme provides support for people who have suffered an emergency that has left them:

• without access to vital necessities
• at a health and safety risk
• unable to secure funding from any other source

Heating is considered a vital necessity and being without it could be potentially harmful.

Find out more about crisis support, benefits and other ways you can get help on our cost of living support page.

Government support

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced an extra £15 billion of support for people dealing with the rising cost of living.

Details of this can be found in the:

• cost of living support factsheet on Gov.uk

This includes the £400 Energy  Bill Support scheme and the Household Support Fund.

Other financial support

You may be eligible to receive extra help with your energy bills, these payments will be made automatically you should not need to apply, including:

• Warm Home Discount scheme £150 off electricity bills (you can no longer apply under the low income broader group)
  • Warm Home Discount eligibility checker
• Winter Fuel Payment for those born before 26/09/1956
• Cold Weather Payments when the temperature drops below zero for 7 day

Energy Company Obligation apply for funding to improve your home's energy rating - NB check out our Sustainable Warmth scheme first 

• Statement of Intent for Eco4 flexible eligibility  (please email our domestic advice team for support with Eco4 if required.)