Last Winter saw some of the coldest temperatures on record in the UK, as snow and ice brought chaos to the country. As a result, homes were forced to turn up their thermostats and use energy-hungry appliances such as electric heaters to keep themselves warm. This, together with ever-increasing prices, led to a huge rise in energy bills, and many found it difficult to find the money to pay.

The survey also found that retired people are most worried about the winter months. Almost half of retirees said they would struggle to afford the extra cost of heating their home.

However, as part of the Government’s Carbon Emission Reduction Target, free cavity wall and loft insulation grants are available to those over 70 (or those on benefits) and for everyone else, a grant of between 40-70% can be received. Insulating a property’s cavity wall and loft can reduce the average annual energy bill by around £250, as well as keeping a home warmer in the winter months.

Applying for an insulation grant is straight-forward and can be done here. However, please be advised that as temperatures drop, demand for insulation grants will rise, and home owners are advised to apply now before the rush.

M&S launched it’s home energy division a year ago, offering a variety of environmentally friendly home energy products. This latest move into the insulation market is not unexpected, given the huge numbers of households yet to insulate their homes.

Recent estimates suggest that 2 million homes could still benefit from grants available towards the cost of insulation, making the average price around £150 for either loft of cavity wall insulation.

In a bold move, M&S has also announced that it will insulate the homes of all 30,000 of its employees for free, creating what it calls “energy ambassadors”. A clever way to help spread it’s message and encourage word of mouth.

“It will produce a significant cut in their carbon emissions, cut their energy bills and, we believe, inspire them to become advocates for energy efficiency.” says Richard Gillies, director of Plan A at M&S.

There will no doubt be significant profits to be made from this venture, and it isn’t wholly altruistic. M&S has close ties with EDF (also helping Sainsburys to offer a similar service), who provide the necessary insulation grants as part of government plans to reduce carbon emissions amongst UK households.

With so many companies now offering insulation, how do you know who to turn to? It is, afterall, a fairly standard procedure (but one that should always be done by a professional), and the workmanship shouldn’t vary too much between installers.

There are many, many smaller insulation companies who operate within their own area of the country. Using these companies guarantees a personal service, without the corporate jargon and flashy graphics that all add to the final price.

If you’re interested in finding out how much you could qualify for, as well as talking to a local insulation company near you, simply fill in the form at the top of this page.

A combined £1.9 billion in extra fuel payments is expected, as the demand for gas and electricity continues to rise during the so-called Big Freeze.

It seems the rising demand has come as a surprise to companies such as the National Grid, who have reported a limited supply, causing prices to escalate even further.

Many argue that it is another example of poor planning and forecasting on behalf of the energy companies, and once again the public have no choice but to pay prices far in excess of most other European countries.

An increase of almost 50% on this months fuel bill is likely to hit those on lower incomes and benefits the hardest, many of whom are already struggling to afford to heat their homes.

Aside from winter fuel allowances, the Government could have issued advice on how to keep warm this winter. This information could have included tips on ensuring valuable heat stays inside your home.

With recent news that funding for insulation grants is coming to an end later in the year, the Government needs to do more to ensure that households in Britain are not forced into choosing between heating their home, or putting food on the table.

More information and advice on insulating your home is available, as well applying for insulation grants for your home.

A wait of 6 months for free insulation

Those applying for 100% grant are being told they face a wait of up to 6 months for work to be done, as the amount of funding is due to be halved in 2010. The Warm Front scheme has made 2 million UK home more energy efficient since its launch in 2000, cutting the amount of wasted energy emitted and saving millions of pounds off the cost of energy bills across the country.

The Government has pumped just shy 0f £1 billion into the scheme in the last 3 years, but according to reports, the Chancellor is due to announce that money available in 2010 is to be cut to £195 million. The result? Waiting times for those looking for 100% insulation grants will rise from the current 50 days to 6 months.

Those who are able to pay shouldn’t be affected.

It’s not clear whether funding for those who not on benefits will face similar waiting times. Currently, if a homeowner, tenant or landlord is not on benefits, or are under 70, they are classed as Able To Pay (ATP). This group still receives some funding from the government, but can usually expect to see insulation installed and fitted within days, rather than months. Why? Because they lengthy process of applying for the relevant grant is bypassed, and insulation contractor can receive payment immediately.

The future of insulation grants

So what does this mean for the future of free insulation grants? It’s not yet clear whether the amount of funding available will be reviewed again before next years budget. Energy Minister David Kidney is lobbying the government to increase the funding available for the Warm Front scheme, but it seems likely that a) funding will be cut b) waiting times for those applying for 100% grant will increase and c) those able to pay for part of the cost shouldn’t be affected.