CHiL's story
Cosy Homes in Lancashire (CHiL) is a county wide energy and affordable warmth initiative developed by all the 15 Local Authorities in Lancashire, pulling together to help vulnerable residents. The region has one of the highest levels of fuel poverty in the UK, and the CHiL scheme aims to help residents to not only keep warm but by saving energy (and greenhouse gas emissions), they will also save money.
Through the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery 2 (funded by BEIS), they are currently improving insulation in homes through a fabric first approach, aiming to:
* improve 2400 properties,
* reduce each home's carbon dioxide emissions from 6 tonnes to just over 1 tonne, and
* help residents to save about £1200 on their fuel bills over 3 years.
In addition, they are providing a further 2,500 residents with energy saving advice.
We currently have Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) funding to install energy saving measures up to the value of £25,000 on properties which currently do not have gas central heating installed.
Useful learnings from CHiL
Many of the vulnerable residents who need to access the scheme do not have access to the internet, and so we promote the scheme by letters in addition to a web-form.
Cosy Homes in Lancashire (CHiL) is a partnership across local authorities, which provides the authorities with services they cannot deliver in-house, acting as a managing agent, supporting project formation, eligibility checks, providing advice to households and a website.
CHiL has secured multiple funding sources (including LAD, HUG and Warm Homes Fund) and uses a centralised application process on their website to maximise the options to residents for funding opportunities.
CHiL's metrics
In 2021/22 and 2022/23 Cosy Homes helped 2400 households to access the Green Home Grant - Local Authority Delivery scheme to have insulation, upgraded windows and doors and renewable technologies installed.
Number of homes renovated.
Tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions saved per home.
£ saved from fuel bills.
Number of people trained in green jobs.
Number of homes with improved EPC band ratings.
