‘Warm at Home’ scheme to help households convert to natural gas

Residents in the SGN Natural Gas network area are set to benefit from its newly launched Warm at Home scheme. Grant funding for the scheme comes from the Northern Ireland Sustainable Energy Programme (NISEP) to assist low-income households convert to natural gas central heating, insulation and energy efficiency measures whom otherwise could not afford to.

Both owner-occupiers and private renting tenants who meet the necessary criteria for the Warm at Home scheme can apply. The scheme has been extended to all eight towns in the SGN Natural Gas licensed network area which includes Coalisland, Cookstown, Derrylin, Dungannon, Enniskillen, Magherafelt, Omagh and Strabane.

 

In addition to the Warm at Home scheme, SGN Natural Gas has a range of connection offers already available for local consumers who wish to make the switch to natural gas, such as 0% finance and £500 cashback.

Darren Young, Head of Business Development with SGN Natural Gas, said: “The western area of Northern Ireland suffers from high levels of energy inefficiency. It is our goal to decrease fuel poverty in our network area whilst enabling consumers to reduce their carbon footprint by converting from oil and solid fuel to natural gas.”

“There has been exceptional demand for natural gas in the network area to date. We would encourage consumers to get in touch with us as soon as possible to establish if they are eligible for our Warm at Home grant funding which is distributed on a first come, first served basis.” 

“Natural gas is convenient, reliable, easy for budgeting and the cleanest of the commonly used fossil fuels. Consumers converting to natural gas will now be able to take control of their energy costs with pay-as-you-go top up options available from just £5.”

Paulino Garcia, Head of Energy Policy at the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland, said: “The Consumer Council welcomes NISEP funding which is invested into a range of energy efficiency projects to benefit consumers. We actively encourage local consumers to avail of the various energy efficiency grants and schemes available to help update their heating system and add other energy saving measures to their homes. Good insulation means lower energy bills and a more comfortable home. This is especially important for older people and people who are unwell.”

 

“Regardless of insulation or the other measures you have in place, your annual heating costs depend on the type of fuel your central heating system uses. Some fuel types can cost more than double for the same property size so it’s important to consider all the options available, including natural gas, when deciding to install or update your heating system. The Consumer Council provides independent advice on energy issues and can help local consumers save on their energy bills by demonstrating our energy price comparison tool which is also available on our website.”

For more information about SGN Natural Gas connection offers please click here