Local Community Energy Schemes in the UK – Homeowner Guide

Local community energy schemes are projects created and run for the benefit of people in a specific town, city, village or region. They focus on helping local households save energy, cut carbon emissions and, in many cases, reduce their energy bills.

Unlike national energy grants or big commercial schemes, community energy projects are usually led by:

• Local councils and combined authorities
• Community groups and co-operatives
• Social housing providers and charities
• Partnerships between councils, installers and energy companies

They can support you whether you own your home or rent, and they often target households who would benefit most from lower bills, such as low-income or fuel-poor homes.

Depending on where you live, a local scheme may help you in several ways. Some schemes focus on advice and education, while others offer direct financial support or installations.

1. Lower energy bills

Many projects are designed to reduce how much energy your home uses so your bills go down. This could mean:

• Improving insulation so your home keeps heat for longer
• Upgrading to more efficient heating systems
• Helping you understand tariffs and smart meters
• Creating local bulk-buy schemes to reduce the cost of measures like solar panels

2. Warmer, more comfortable homes

Community energy schemes often work closely with local health and wellbeing teams. A warmer home can mean:

• Less damp and mould
• Better indoor air quality
• Improved comfort for children, older people and anyone with a health condition

3. Greener, low-carbon energy

Some schemes develop local renewable energy projects that directly power homes or feed into the local grid. As a local resident, you might:

• Benefit from cheaper, locally-generated electricity
• Join a community solar or wind project as a member or investor
• Access grants or low-cost finance for home solar, batteries or heat pumps

Every part of the UK is different, but there are common types of local programmes you may find in your area.

Local home energy advice services

These services provide free, impartial advice on cutting your bills and making your home more efficient. They may offer:

• Telephone or in-person energy advice sessions
• Home energy checks or surveys
• Support to understand your bills and meters
• Help switching tariffs or suppliers if appropriate

Area-based insulation and heating schemes

Some councils deliver street-by-street or neighbourhood-based schemes that provide:

• Free or subsidised loft and cavity wall insulation
• Solid wall insulation for hard-to-treat homes
• Upgrades to old or inefficient boilers
• First-time central heating systems for homes currently without it

Community solar and renewable energy projects

Community solar and wind projects are owned and managed for the benefit of local residents. They might:

• Install solar panels on community buildings, schools or social housing
• Share profits with the community or fund local energy-efficiency work
• Offer opportunities for residents to invest small amounts with fair returns

Fuel poverty support and emergency help

Many local energy partnerships target households struggling to afford energy costs. Support can include:

• Help accessing national schemes and discounts
• Vouchers or crisis grants in emergencies (where available)
• Priority Services Register sign-ups for vulnerable residents

Eligibility varies from project to project, but many local community energy schemes focus on helping:

• Households on a low income or in receipt of certain benefits
• Homes with low energy efficiency ratings (for example EPC band D, E, F or G)
• Older residents, people with long-term health conditions, or families with young children
• Residents living in specific postcodes or neighbourhoods targeted for support

Some projects are open to everyone in the local area, especially where they involve community-owned renewables or general advice sessions.

Local community energy schemes often work alongside national grants and incentives. This helps you access a complete package of support rather than missing out on help you could claim.

Depending on your circumstances, your local scheme may help you access:

• Government-funded home insulation or heating upgrades
• Support with improving EPC ratings
• Grants towards low-carbon technologies such as heat pumps or solar
• Advice on using smart meters and time-of-use tariffs effectively

Because local teams understand their communities, they can often join different forms of support together, making it easier for you to improve your home in stages without handling everything on your own.

Support available to you will depend on where you live, your property type and your household situation. To discover what is open in your area you can:

1. Check your local council website – search for terms like "energy efficiency", "community energy" or "help with energy bills".
2. Contact local advice agencies – such as Citizens Advice, local energy advice centres or housing associations.
3. Look for community energy groups – many have websites listing current and upcoming projects.
4. Use impartial guidance services – like Energy Saving Trust information pages, which often signpost to regional schemes.

To make things easier, we can also help you understand what may be available based on your postcode and home details.