Support for people in rural homes
Support for people in rural homes
Find out about how we can support people living in rural areas.
Energy costs can be significantly higher for people who live in rural properties. If you live in a rural area, we’re here to help. We can give you free advice on how to lower your energy bills and information about funding available to help you make energy saving home improvements.
Energy saving tips for rural homes
You don’t have to spend a penny to start saving on your energy bills. Our guides are packed with easy tips - from switching off stand-by to cutting your shower time, these small changes really do add up.
Discover:
We’ve got info on other ways to make your home warmer and how to reduce your energy bills too.
Working out what improvements to make
If you need to make changes to your home, we know it can feel difficult knowing where to start.
Complete a home energy check
Our home energy check helps you think about energy saving home improvements. This online tool, which is free to use, works out how much energy you may be using then suggests changes to help you reduce your energy bills.
Get an Energy Performance Certificate
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) gives information about your home’s energy efficiency and ways it could be improved. If you want to apply for funding to help cover the costs of making improvements, getting an updated EPC can help speed up the process because it outlines what improvements your home could benefit from.
To find out if your home has an EPC or to search for EPC assessors in your area, check out the Scottish EPC register.
Get advice about off-gas areas and heating solutions
If you live in a rural area and your home isn’t connected to the natural gas network ('off-gas'), finding other heating solutions is crucial.
We can help you explore options like installing a heat pump or other renewable energy technologies which can reduce your energy costs and environmental impact. These technologies are particularly well-suited for rural homes, and we can give you advice on their benefits, costs, and how suitable they may be for you.
Check out the Green Homes Network - it's packed with case studies from homeowners across Scotland who've already installed home renewables or made energy efficiency improvements and want to share their experiences.
Funding
Making your home more energy efficient will lower your energy bills. However, the upfront cost of making improvements such as improving insulation or upgrading the heating system can put people off.
The good news is that we can help you find funding to help cover the costs. For example, you could get a grant to cover much-needed home improvements or be able to spread the cost with an interest-free loan. You could also benefit from a specific rural uplift grant.
Use our handy funding finder to search for funding and support in your area, or contact us directly for information.
Finding certified installers
Finding certified installers for insulation, renewable technologies and other energy efficiency measures can be challenging in rural areas.
Read our tips on how to find suitable installers on our Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan webpage. You can search for Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certified installers and read customer reviews on Energy Saving Trust’s Renewables Installer Finder.
Get free advice
If you need advice on how to save energy, our friendly advisors are on hand to help. We can you give you personalised advice to help you save energy and money - and all our advice is free and impartial. Find out how to contact us today - you can call us, email, or chat over WhatsApp.
Latest news and case studies
We have articles, blogs and case studies covering topics ranging from home energy tips to low carbon travel, and business advice to installing renewables.
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