You can improve your home and reduce your energy bills at the same time. Find out about: 

• reducing energy bills
• renewable energy
• keeping warm - including preventing damp and mould
• smart meters   
• energy efficient grants and services

You can also find advice and information on a range of energy saving topics at the Centre for Sustainable Energy website. 

Contact Green Camden helpline

There is also a range of support, benefits and discounts available to help you stay warm this winter. To find out more, visit our 'staying warm this winter' page.

There is a range of support, benefits and discounts available to help you stay warm this winter. Please read all of the information on this page and check that you’re receiving all of the support that you’re eligible for.

Warm Home Discount

The Warm Home Discount is a government scheme which offers a £140 discount off your electricity bills this winter. You won’t receive this in cash – it will either be deducted from your bill or you’ll be sent a voucher if you have a pre-pay meter.

Eligible criteria vary depending on who your electricity supplier is however, you are likely to qualify if you receive benefits, have an income below £16,000 and if a member of your household is either under 5, disabled or over 62.

A list of participating suppliers can be found at gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme/energy-suppliers

To check if you are eligible and to apply, you will need to complete the application form on your electricity supplier’s website unless you receive a state pension in which case, you should receive the discount automatically. Please check your bill though. If you don’t receive it, please call your electricity provider and let them know you qualify for the Warm Home Discount – particularly if your name isn’t on the bill.

For support completing the application, please call the Green Camden Helpline on 0800 801 738 which is open Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm.

Winter Fuel Payment – for residents aged 66 and over

If you’re 66 and over with a birthday on or before 26 September 1955, you should be eligible for a tax-free Winter Fuel Payment worth up to £300. You should receive your money by 14 January 2022 at the latest.

You should receive it automatically but if you don’t receive benefits or a state pension at the moment, you may need to apply. You will only need to do this once and then it will be automatic every year.

To find out more or to apply, call the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160, any time between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday, or call Age UK Camden on 020 7239 0400

Extra support to stay warm this winter

If you’re struggling with your energy bills or need extra support to stay warm this winter, call the Green Camden Helpline on 0800 801 738 which is open Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm or call Camden Advice Network on 0808 278 7855. If you need a helping hand to make your home warmer and reduce energy bills, you can request a free ‘well and warm’ home visit. To find out more, visit camden.gov.uk/energy-efficiency-grants#rttu

Before you consider renewable energy systems for your home, make sure you have addressed the cheaper and more cost effective energy efficiency measures first. The more you reduce your energy demands at source, the greater the proportion of your energy will be met by the new renewable system. 

Find out more and links to useful guides provided by the Centre for Sustainable Energy, below.

Planning permission

To install renewable energy technologies in your home, you may need planning permission.

Solar power

Solar power captures energy from the sun to power items around your home. The two main types currently used are:

• solar water heating systems
• solar photovoltaic (PV) systems

Solar water heating systems

Solar water heating systems use thermal energy from the sun to heat water in the home. On average they can provide a third of the home’s hot water usage in a year – typically the majority of this is supplied in the summer with significant top-up heating required in the winter.

• download: solar water heating guide (PDF)

Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems

Solar PV panels convert sunlight into electrical energy. PV panel performance depends greatly on their location, with even minimal levels of shading from chimney breasts or nearby trees having a significant impact on performance. 

It is unlikely that you’ll be able to meet all your electrical demands through PV because they generate in the day when lighting and energy use tend to be low, but the energy they produce can be more cost effective than buying from an energy provider. 

download: solar PV guide (PDF)

Wind power

Wind turbines convert wind energy into electricity. Despite being a clean and low carbon method of producing energy wind turbines are unlikely to work well in a built up area such as Camden because urban density creates wind turbulence that slows wind speed. Planning permission is also likely to be problematic.

If you do want to install a wind turbine, the first step should be to determine the available wind speed at the proposed location using the Energy Saving Trust’s wind predictor tool

Biomass

Biomass is a renewable, low carbon fuel which can be burnt to generate heat. In Camden the most common biomass fuel is wood (logs, pellets or chips), although biofuels such as biogas may also be considered.

Although the process of burning releases CO2; biomass retains a closed carbon cycle – it takes carbon out of the atmosphere while it’s growing and returns it when it’s burnt. It therefore produces significantly fewer carbon emissions than fossil fuels.

The main issue with biomass in Camden is its impact on local air quality and in some instances a full air quality assessment will be required before installation. If you are considering a domestic scale installation please refer to our guidance on using wood burning stoves

Heat pumps: ground source and air source

Ground source heat pumps (GSHP) use heat from the ground to raise the temperature of a liquid contained in a coil or “loop” which is buried in the ground. The liquid is then passed through a compressor to raise its temperature and heat the home. You will need to have a garden if you are considering a GSHP.

download: ground source heat pump guide (PDF)

Air Source Pumps (ASPs) work by extracting warm air from the atmosphere, before compressing it to provide usable heat.

download: air source heat pump guide (PDF)

Although the pumps use electricity, the heat they extract from the ground and air is constantly being renewed naturally which is considered to outweigh the carbon impact of the electricity being used.  

Micro combined heat and power (CHP)
Micro combined heat and power (CHP) units use natural gas to generate both heat and electricity for the home. Although not strictly speaking a renewable technology they can help reduce emissions.

• energy saving trust

Renewable energy grants and incentives

We are committed to helping you make sustainable energy improvements to your home.

Find out if you could benefit from financial assistance to help make your home more energy efficient:

• renewable energy grants and incentives
   

Are you getting the best deal for your gas and electricity? Have you compared your tariff recently? You could save around £200 per year. Don’t miss out and compare your tariff today!

Switching your supplier

We have teamed up with Islington Council to help you compare tariffs to see if you could save money on your energy bills by changing your supplier. Please ensure you have your most recent fuel bills to hand to accurately compare tariffs.

Islington Fuel Switch tool

Alternatively, you can use Citizens Advice website, which also includes a range of switching advice and FAQ’s.

Founded by the Mayor of London, London Power promises to be always fair, always reasonably-priced and always green with 100% renewable electricity.

London Power makes it easy for you to get a great deal and provides brilliant customer service from Londoners who care. And to top it all off, London Power doesn’t just look out for you, they also look after your local community – investing what City Hall makes into programmes to help improve Londoners’ lives. This will help tackle the climate emergency and support Londoners struggling to pay energy bills.

Fair pricing

London Power offers fairly-priced energy for all Londoners. Not just now, but for the longer term. Once their yearly plan ends, they’ll automatically switch you to the cheapest available similar plan.

100% renewable

All their electricity is generated from 100% renewable sources. How? With London Power, all the electricity supplied is matched with power generated from renewable sources like solar and wind power.

Hassle-free

With their simple plans, you can be sure you’re always on the best rate. Switching online is easy. And if you need help, their customer service, powered by the customer service experts at Octopus Energy, is world-class.

On average, 80% of the energy used in homes is for heating. Using good insulation can reduce the amount of energy you use, helping to cut your fuel bills and carbon emissions.

Here are a few recommendations for making your home more energy efficient with detailed downloadable guides from the Centre for Sustainable Energy. You may be eligible for financial support to help make these improvements.

Draught proof your windows and doors

According to the Energy Saving Trust, draughts are responsible for 15% of the heat lost from a home. Full draught proofing could reduce your energy bills by around £30 per year.

What’s more, draught-free homes are comfortable at lower temperatures – so you’ll be able to turn down your thermostat, which could save you another £55 per year.

Draught-proofing is really easy to install- you can even do it yourself.

• View our online do-it-yourself guide
• DIY draught proofing guide
• Make your own simple draught excluder snake!

Loft insulation

Most household heat is lost through the walls and the roof. By installing loft installation, you could save up to £225 a year, while cavity wall insulation can add £110 to your savings.

You can insulate your roof in two ways. Either using loft insulation blankets, also known as ‘quilts’ which you can do yourself or with blown insulation which uses specialist equipment to blow loose, fire-retardant material into the loft.

Already have loft insulation? Adding another layer to bring it up to the recommended 270 millimetres could save you more energy and money.

• Loft insulation guide

Cavity wall insulation

Most housing built since the 1930s has cavity wall construction, which means that there is an exterior wall, with a second wall next to it. The space between the two walls is called the cavity, and this is filled with insulation material.
Insulating your cavity walls will help to heat your home more efficiently.

• Cavity wall insulation guide

Solid wall insulation

If your home was built before the 1930s it is likely to have solid external walls. Unlike cavity walls, solid walls have no gap allowing nearly twice as much heat to pass through them if they are un-insulated. Solid walls can be insulated either with internal insulation or external insulation.

External wall insulation involves putting an insulating layer on the outside of your home and then cladding it. While internal wall insulation uses insulation boards or a wooden frame filled with insulation attached to the inside of your walls. Both methods can help your home retain valuable heat, as well as saving you money!

• Internal wall insulation guide
• External wall insulation guide

Energy efficient glazing

We recommend installing either double, or triple glazed windows in your home. They are an effective way of keeping your home both warmer and quieter, whilst saving you money.

The costs and savings of double and triple glazing will be different for each home and each window, depending on the size, material and installer.

• Energy efficient glazing guide

If your home is a listed building or in a conservation area there may be certain restrictions. Before making any changes to your windows, please check our planning guidance guide.

• Energy efficiency planning guidance for conservation areas

On average, boilers are responsible for generating 60% of CO2 emissions in a gas heated home.

By replacing your boiler with a high efficiency condensing boiler you could significantly reduce your C02 output as well saving up to £225 per year.

Types of heating systems

From 2010 any new gas boiler installed must be an A-rated or 88% efficient condensing boiler. 

There are two types of condensing boiler:

• combination (also known as ‘combi’) boilers provide heated water for radiators and under floor heating – they are able to supply instant hot water without the need for a hot water cylinder
• system or open vent also provides heated water for radiators and under floor heating, however they require a hot water tank to heat and store hot water for when it is needed.

What to consider when replacing your boiler?

It is important to choose a boiler that is best suited to your home and lifestyle. Below is a quick guide to the benefits of both types.

Combination/Combi condensing boiler

• provides instant hot water when you turn the tap on
• space saving, as there is no need for a separate hot water tank
• reduces heat that would be lost from a hot water tank
• beneficial for smaller households and those that don’t use much hot water each day

However, this is not suitable for households that have:

• low mains pressure
• multiple bathrooms or showers (that aren’t electric)

System or open vent condensing boiler

• provides large amounts of hot water if multiple water points are in use at one time as hot water is stored in a separate tank
• may be easier to replace your boiler if you are replacing a similar system
• beneficial if you like an airing cupboard
• suitable for all households

Thermostats and heating controls

Using heating controls allows you to keep your home at a comfortable temperature as well as giving you the freedom to monitor your hot water and heating to come on and off when you need it. 

Some of the most common heating control instructions can be found below:

• All control instructions
• Danfoss programmer FP715
• Danfoss programmer FP715 SI
• Danfoss Ret B Room Thermostat
• Novo Stat programmer
• Denton, Snowman, Casterbridge programmer
• Ambient programmer - underfloor heating
• Underfloor - Ambiente Instructions
• Underfloor - Ambiente thermostat instructions

Storage heaters

If your home is heated by electric storage heaters, this simple guide from the Centre for Sustainable Energy provides tips on how to get the most out of your heaters.

Night storage heaters guide

Advice and help

For more information on installing heating controls or an energy efficient boiler, contact the Green Camden helpline.

Are you planning a renovation and want to reduce your carbon footprint?

You can make your home more comfortable and your bills lower. Ecofurb is a new approach to make London’s homes energy efficient by focusing on taking the uncertainty and hassle away from homeowners planning a renovation.

It’s an end to end service to:

• advise on which improvements will have the biggest impact on the energy efficiency of your home
• help plan these together with any other works you may be carrying out
• get quotes from vetted local contractors via their cooperative of contractors
• provide specification, quality assurance and sign off.

Follow the link for more information: Ecofurb

Retrofit webinars - Making  homes warmer and cheaper to heat

Camden is hosting a series of webinars to help residents make their homes warmer, cheaper to heat and more energy efficient. Each webinar will look at a different theme relating to the retrofit challenge.

Energy efficiency improvements, also known as ‘retrofit’ can help to tackle the climate crisis and contribute to making Camden a zero-carbon borough by 2030.

In Camden 26 per cent of green house gas emissions come from our homes, many of which were built before standards for insulation and energy performance were introduced. This means that a lot of our homes are not energy efficient.

Past Webinars

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The Solar Together group-buying scheme is open to all Camden residents who own their own house (or have permission from the landlord to install a solar PV system). Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and some Commonhold Associations are also eligible for the scheme.

The scheme helps residents to purchase low-cost, high-quality solar panels which also helps to tackle the climate crisis in Camden by providing clean energy, cutting carbon emissions whilst also reducing the cost of energy bills.

Do you already have solar panels installed? You can also register to have battery storage added to your existing solar panels to maximise the benefits of your system.

How does it work?

1. Registration: you can register from 7 February until 15 March for free and without obligation at www.solartogether.co.uk/camden. To register you simply provide details about your roof, such as its size and orientation.
2. Auction: an ‘auction’ will be held on 15 March where our pre-vetted solar installers will submit bids for the work. The more people that register, the better the deal should be for each household. The installer with the lowest bid will win the auction.
3. Personal recommendation: from 4 April you will be contacted with your personal recommendation, based on your registration details. This includes your costs and specifications of your system.
4. You decide: the decision is then yours as to whether you want to accept your recommendation. There is no obligation to continue. You will have until 13 May to decide and will be invited to an information session.
5. Installation - If you accept the offer, the winning supplier will contact you to survey your roof and set an installation date. All installations are planned to be completed by the end of October 2022.

For more information, visit Solar Together Camden where you can leave questions and contact the helpdesk.

Register for Solar Together

Freephone helpline is also available (0800 060 85 09) Mon – Fri, 8am – 5pm, to answer any further questions.

Planning Guidance

You can perform certain types of work to your property without needing to apply for planning permission. These are your "permitted development rights", which are subject to certain conditions. Permitted development rights also apply in most Conservation Areas.

Camden’s Solar Together – Household Planning Guidance document provides all the information required to determine whether you need to apply for planning permission.

Camden’s Planning Portal – Household Pro-forma will also ensure you submit all the information you require if you wish to apply for a Lawful Development Certificate or require Planning Permission or Listed Building Consent.

The Solar Together – Non-Domestic Planning Guidance and Planning Portal – Non-Domestic Pro-forma documents provide the respective advice for business and community groups with non-domestic premises.