Residents urged to stay safe as Oxfordshire expands support to make homes warmer and cheaper to heat

Hundreds more households across the county could benefit from warmer, healthier homes and lower energy bills thanks to a government funded scheme.

The Warm Homes Local Grant, a scheme run by Oxfordshire County Council in partnership with Welcome the Warmth, is designed to help eligible households improve the energy efficiency of their homes, reducing heating costs and improving comfort, particularly for those on lower incomes and living in less energy efficient properties.

Improvements include insulation, low carbon heating, and solar panels, depending on eligibility and property type.

The scheme is fully funded by the government, meaning residents who qualify do not have to pay for the measures covered by the grant.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, said: “Everyone deserves a warm, comfortable home that’s affordable to heat. The Warm Homes Local Grant is helping Oxfordshire residents lower their energy bills, improve their health and comfort, and cut carbon emissions at the same time.

“By fully funding measures such as insulation, low carbon heating and solar panels, this scheme is supporting households through the cost of living pressures while also helping us take practical action on climate change.”

The county council’s trading standards team is also taking the opportunity to remind residents to stay aware, as some individuals may attempt to take advantage of the situation through unsolicited doorstep visits or pressure-based sales approaches.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing and Safety, said: “The Warm Homes Local Grant can make a real difference to people’s lives – helping households stay warm, reduce energy bills and cut carbon emissions, all at no cost to eligible residents.

“But it’s vital that people feel safe and confident. We want to be absolutely clear: the council will never cold call you about this scheme, or any other for that matter. If someone turns up at your door or contacts you out of the blue claiming to be linked to a council grant, please don’t feel under any pressure to engage. We can confirm whether a company is genuinely connected to the scheme, and keep a close oversight of all approved and associated businesses, and can provide independent reassurance whenever needed.”

All installers working on the scheme are subject to a rigorous vetting and onboarding process, including checks on qualifications, accreditations, insurance, health and safety standards and customer satisfaction. Installers are not permitted to use the scheme to upsell additional work, and strong quality assurance checks are in place.

There are three steps residents are urged to take to protect themselves when dealing with cold callers:

• Never agree to home improvement work on the doorstep
• Never hand over personal or financial details to cold callers
• Take time to check and verify information independently – the council’s retrofit team can assist with this 

Residents who think they may be eligible are encouraged to find out more and apply directly through official channels. Find out more about the scheme by visiting the council’s website or by contacting the retrofit team on retrofit@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Concerns about cold callers, misleading claims or suspected fraud should be reported to Oxfordshire County Council Trading Standard

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