Greater Manchester’s ‘Little Bill’ scheme scoops national energy efficiency award

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s (GMCA) highly successful Green Deal Communities Programme has been awarded the ‘Large Scale Project of the Year Award’ at this year’s National Energy Efficiency & Retrofit Awards. 

The accolade, in recognition of the GMCA’s ‘Little Bill’ scheme, was presented to representatives from the GMCA and commercial delivery partners Keepmoat Regeneration, Willmott Dixon Energy Services Limited and Wates Living Space by actress Joanna Lumley.   

Chair of the Greater Manchester Low Carbon Hub, City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “It is absolutely fantastic we have been recognised nationally for the Little Bill campaign.

“We are passionate about doing all we can to protect the most vulnerable in our society from the cold and rising energy costs. Simple measures implemented as part of the scheme, such as loft and cavity wall insulation, have helped people save up to £300 a year. This makes a massive difference to their lives – particularly those who are struggling to make ends meet. It really can be the difference between heating and eating.” 

Launched in 2014, the ‘Little Bill’ Green Deal Communities scheme was tasked by the Government’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), formerly known as Department of Energy and Climate Change, to deliver the largest national domestic energy efficiency retrofit scheme.  Over 1200 households were to receive energy efficiency measures such as external wall insulation.   

Greater Manchester’ ‘Little Bill’ was the first scheme to complete and deliver all installations within the Government's deadline. The original Government funding was bolstered by additional funds of; £1.2M total customer contributions, £948,000 of Local Authority contributions and £589,100 of energy company obligation funds, making the net worth of this project £8.8M. 

The GMCA’s ‘Little Bill’ received positive feedback from residents across Greater Manchester who benefited from the scheme.  Residents reported having warmer homes and a greater understanding of their personal energy consumption as a result of improvement works.  Aesthetic improvements to homes and neighbourhoods were also highlighted as a major benefit of the scheme.   

ENDS

Notes to editors: 

The awards: 

• The National Energy Efficiency & Retrofit Awards were launched in July 2015, with the aim to help motivate the energy efficiency sector in delivery of energy efficiency home improvements in housing, especially for fuel poor residents. 
• This year’s National Energy Efficiency & Retrofit Awards was held on Friday 16th September 2016.
• The Energy Efficiency measures introduced by the Government following the Energy Act 2013, included the Energy Company Obligations (ECO) Scheme, the Green Deal Finance Initiative, and the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). These measures together help homeowners reduce their energy bills, tackle fuel poverty and reduce Carbon emissions. The aim of the Energy Efficiency & Retrofit Awards is to provide public recognition for the excellent work the Energy Efficiency sector is doing in implementing these schemes. And to help encourage best practice within the Energy Industry as it works to improve UK housing stock.

The Little Bill Green Deal Communities scheme: 

• Greater Manchester successfully completed delivery of the project before the deadline, 31st March 2016, with 1302 households in total receiving measures beyond the 1200 target and within budget. Through this project over 900 households received solid wall insulation, making it the largest solid wall project in the private (owner occupier, private rented) sector in Greater Manchester and potentially nationally to date.  

Wider benefits of the Little Bill Green Deal Communities scheme: 

• The project has delivered a  holistic approach, e.g. coordination of use of other services/works for the residents which has added to the overall impact of the energy efficiency project, e.g. additional home repair works e.g. roof repairs, security and safety advice through fire and police visits, community led/ and council led street clean ups, community led events and activities. Some Councils (e.g. Rochdale) have also provided residents with an easy to read handbook detailing the works and energy efficiency tips etc. 
• The majority of the 1,302 residents assisted through this programme are low income, vulnerable, fuel poor households in Greater Manchester (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan). They have been assisted through energy efficiency measures, as well as behavioural change advice and energy efficiency advice. 
• On average the project is seeing approximately £350pa savings on resident fuel bills. The estimated quantity of carbon/energy saved per year through this project in Greater Manchester equates to12000 tCO2e.