The Ofgem Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme (Energy Redress Scheme) opens on 24 October 2023 for its sixth funding round.
A total of £14 million is available for charities and community energy groups – including community interest companies, co-operative societies and community benefit societies – to apply for grants through four funding streams.
Projects will be considered that focus on supporting households most at risk from cold homes and high energy bills, the development of innovative products and services related to domestic energy use, or carbon emissions reduction projects, across England, Scotland and Wales.
The funding streams available are:
- The Main Fund, containing £9.3 million – aimed at projects seeking grants between £50,000 and £1 million that will support households in vulnerable situations.
- The Small Project Fund, containing £500,000 – aimed at projects seeking grants between £20,000 and £49,999 that will support households in vulnerable situations.
- The Innovation Fund, containing £2.1 million – aimed at projects that will develop innovative products or services to benefit households. Applicants can apply for grants between £20,000 and £500,000.
- The Carbon Emissions Reduction Fund, containing £2.1 million – aimed at projects that will reduce UK carbon emissions and empower households to reduce their carbon footprint. Applicants can apply for grants between £20,000 and £500,000.
Before applying, organisations need to pre-register by visiting the Energy Redress registration page.
Organisations that haven’t yet registered with the scheme must do so 10 working days before the relevant fund closes to allow time for eligibility checks to take place.
The deadline for applications is 5pm on 14 November 2023. To apply, follow the instructions on the Energy Redress website.
About the Energy Redress Scheme
From February 2018 to March 2023, the Energy Redress Scheme has funded more than 524 projects across England, Scotland and Wales and awarded £95 million in funding. The projects have included:
- Impartial energy advice services supporting vulnerable people.
- Digital media to engage hard-to-reach audiences with energy issues and the support that is available to them.
- Research projects aimed at making sure that the needs of elderly people and disabled people are met by new energy technologies.
- Boosting the uptake of whole-house retrofits.
- Trialing new business models or interventions to allow households to use more locally generated energy.
Graham Ayling, senior project manager for the Energy Redress Scheme, said:
“With winter approaching, the voluntary sector provides a vital safety net for people struggling to stay warm in their homes. We hope that this new funding will be a much-needed boost for the sector providing more funding at a crucial time. The funding will also support projects that take on key challenges to delivering net zero and making sure that everyone benefits from the coming changes.”
Ofgem collects voluntary payments from companies that may have breached Ofgem administered rules. Energy Saving Trust manages the allocation of payments for the scheme, which has been in place for five years.
The scheme prioritises support for vulnerable energy consumers, the development of innovative products or services and the empowerment of consumers to reduce their carbon emissions. Find out more about the Energy Redress Scheme.