Waltham Forest Council

Waltham Forest Council partnered with Energy Saving Trust to pilot and now deliver an Energy Upgrade Loan scheme.

This interest-free funding programme supports residents and landlords with EPC D (or lower) rated properties to install energy-saving upgrades, cutting carbon emissions and energy bills.

Through the Energy Saving Trust Homewise tool, residents are able to generate a personalised retrofit action plan to help them understand potential bill and energy savings, before being signposted to apply for an interest-free home upgrade loan.  

After a successful pilot, the scheme is now live in its second phase, offering homeowners and landlords retrofit loans of up to £20,000. Energy Saving Trust also administer the loan process for Waltham Forest Council, from funding allocation to repayment collection.

• Routes to home energy efficiency upgrades were unblocked through Homewise, providing energy efficiency insight, home upgrade advice and signposting to funding options. 
• Centralised advice and financial support were provided to residents, making it easier for them to take action.
• The council’s housing stock energy performance is being improved through the project, reducing carbon emissions across the borough and delivering savings for residents.
• 30 people applied for round one of the scheme.
• 16 loan offers were accepted, with an average value of £14,332.
• Upgrades will save each household an estimated £455 on fuel bills each year, and increase EPC ratings at least one point.
• In total, the pilot will deliver estimated carbon savings of 22 tonnes a year, with even more savings to be delivered in the second phase.

Waltham Forest Council is responsible for a range of services across its borough, which is home to around 278,400 people.

As part of its work, the council runs projects to address climate change and improve residents’ quality of life, including making homes more energy efficient.

Housing is the largest source of CO₂ emissions in Waltham Forest, where 90,000 homes are EPC rated C or below.  

Upgrading these homes is essential to achieving the council’s climate targets and reducing fuel poverty, but the Council realises that residents need support to help them understand what measures may be most effective for them.  

78% of surveyed residents also said financial support would help them take action to upgrade their homes energy efficiency. 

Waltham Forest Council now use Energy Saving Trust’s Homewise tool to help residents understand their home retrofit needs.  

The tool provides tailored assessments, identifying the most effective energy-saving upgrades based on each property’s condition and potential for improvement. These personalised reports empower residents to make informed decisions about which measures to install, how much they may cost, and how to apply for the Energy Upgrade Loan to commission the work. 

Energy Saving Trust manage the delivery of the Waltham Forest Energy Upgrade Loan. Our support included designing and administering the application process, setting eligibility criteria, issuing funding offers, and managing repayments.

The initial pilot scheme in 2024 was successful, reducing the upfront cost barrier to retrofitting homes, enabling homeowners and landlords to carry out the work. 16 households received funding in the pilot phase with an average loan allocation of c£14k per household.  

The pilot led to significant expected improvements in EPC ratings of the homes that received funding, with fuel bill reductions of £455 annually, and estimated total carbon savings of 22 tonnes per year for the Borough.  

A second phase of the funding has just closed, and Waltham Forest Council have seen similar success.  

Find out more about Homewise, or get in touch with the team to see how we can help your residents achieve warmer, healthier homes.