Support for people in rural homes

Energy saving tips for rural homes

You don’t have to spend a penny to start saving on your energy bills. Look at our guides on how to reduce your energy bills and easy ways to save energy to start saving energy and money today. From switching off stand-by to saving water, these changes really do add up.

Off-gas areas and heating solutions

If your home isn’t connected to the natural gas network ('off-gas'), finding other heating solutions is crucial. 

We can help you explore options like installing renewable energy generation such as a heat pump or solar panels, which can reduce your energy costs and environmental impact. These renewable technologies are particularly well-suited for rural homes, and we can give you advice on their benefits, costs, and how suitable they may be for you. 

We’ve got info on other ways to make your home warmer too.

Working out what improvements to make

Complete a home energy check

Our home energy check helps you think about energy saving home improvements. This online tool, which is free to use, works out how much energy you may be using then suggests changes to help you reduce your energy bills.

Get an Energy Performance Certificate

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) gives information about your home’s energy efficiency and ways it could be improved. Getting an updated EPC can also help speed up the process of accessing any funding because it will help you find out what improvements your home could benefit from. 

To find out if your home has an EPC or to search for EPC assessors in your area, check out the Scottish EPC register.

Funding

Making your home more energy efficient will lower your energy bills. However, the upfront cost of making improvements such as improving insulation or upgrading the heating system can put people off.

The good news is that we can help you find funding to help cover the costs. For example, you could get a grant to cover much-needed home improvements or be able to spread the cost with an interest-free loan. You could also benefit from a specific rural uplift grant.

Use our handy funding finder to search for funding and support in your area, or contact us directly for information.

Finding certified installers

Finding certified installers for insulation, renewable technologies and other energy efficiency measures can be challenging in rural areas. 

Read our tips on how to find suitable installers on our Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan webpage. You can search for Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certified installers and read customer reviews on Energy Saving Trust’s Renewables Installer Finder.

Get free advice

We understand that asking for help can feel challenging. Our friendly advisors are on hand to support you with free, impartial and personalised advice to suit you and your home. 

We can give you advice and support to make changes in your daily habits to save energy and money and can offer affordable options to reduce your bills. We also know that each household is different, and our advisors will help you to find the support that best fits your needs. Find out how to contact us today.