Action Surrey – Surrey’s Low Carbon Community

What is Action Surrey?

A network of local authority partners has been awarded funding through the Government’s Sustainable Warmth Fund. These funds will be awarded to individual qualifying households to improve their energy efficiency.

This funding is time-limited, installations must be completed by 31^st March 2023, so if you’d like to apply do this as soon as possible.

Action Surrey is an impartial energy advice service which helps Surrey residents to save money on their energy bills, keep warm and reduce their environmental impact. There is funding available through the service for the following energy efficiency measures:

• Cavity wall insulation
• External wall insulation
• Park home insulation
• Loft insulation, including top-ups
• Underfloor Insulation
• Solar photovoltaics*
• Solar hot water system*
• Air source heat pump*

*Please note that grant conditions require insulation measures to be installed prior to any renewable/low-carbon systems.

How does the service work?

The service is open to owner occupiers and private rental tenants (landlord contribution required) living within local authority areas taking part in the scheme – you can submit an application via the apply now form or by calling 0800 783 2503.

Certain criteria apply, and these can be found in the eligibility section of the website.

What are the benefits?

Improving the energy efficiency of buildings is a great way to reduce energy bills and our impact on the environment, as one-third of all heat lost in homes is through uninsulated walls.

Inefficient buildings allow heat to escape meaning more energy is needed to keep them at a safe and comfortable temperature.

By taking advantage of the Action Surrey scheme, you can help to reduce your energy costs and your household’s impact on the environment.

What is an air source heat pump?

Air source heat pumps can be used to heat homes and water using electricity as opposed to gas, they work similarly to an air conditioning unit in reverse, if you can picture that.

Although electricity is typically more expensive per unit than gas, air source heat pumps are very efficient meaning they require many fewer units of energy to produce the same output. For every unit of electricity they use, three units of heat are generated making them much cheaper to run than other electric heating technologies.

In direct comparison with gas or direct electric heating, air source heat pumps can help to save up to 70% of emissions.

The best part is that if the electricity supplied to your heat pump comes from renewable sources – your heating will be carbon free. By switching to a renewable energy tariff, you could rest assured that your home is heated with minimal impact on the planet.

Action Surrey have put together an air source heat pump factsheet with more details.

Free energy from the sun?

It is also possible to get your own renewable energy system in the form of solar panels through the service.

Solar panels are a very effective way of making your home more environmentally friendly. They generate carbon free electricity that can be used in your home absolutely free – what’s more, any surplus energy you generate you could store with a battery storage system for later use or sell this back to your energy provider to help in reducing your overall energy cost.

Through the scheme there is also potential for a solar water heating system, known as solar thermal panels, that use energy from the sun to heat water in your home, rather than using a conventional boiler.

A fact sheet on both solar PVs and solar thermal has been provided by Action Surrey.

If you have any questions about the scheme or would like some more information, get in touch on 0800 783 2503 or info@actionsurrey.org.