Greater Manchester launches energy saving advice service for residents as part of net-zero push

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and partner organisations have announced the launch a new support service to help residents save energy as part of the city-region’s efforts to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2038.

The Feel the Benefit campaign aims to help residents understand how they can make changes to their homes to make them greener, warmer and cheaper to run. Poorly insulated or inefficiently heated homes have a big impact on the environment, with the built environment among the biggest contributors to the UK’s carbon emissions; cold homes can also exacerbate respiratory and cardiovascular ill-health and dementia, as well as have a negative effect on mental wellbeing.

As part of the campaign, residents can check their eligibility for home upgrades and any financial support via an online checker. In-person advise will also be available across all 10 Greater Manchester boroughs, which in Stockport will be delivered by Your Home Better.

Cllr Tom Ross, Greater Manchester Lead for Green City-Region, said:

“Rising energy bills are a key contributor to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, with some residents forced to choose between heating their homes and paying for other life essentials. Heat loss from homes that are poorly insulated only makes this worse, with many residents still relying on heating technologies that are long overdue an upgrade.

“Our Feel the Benefit campaign is here to help residents make a change for the better. By raising awareness of what’s available and guiding residents through the process of upgrading their homes, we’ll help thousands lower their energy bills – not to mention supporting the push towards our ambitious, evidence-based target for Greater Manchester to become carbon neutral by 2038.”

Support for homeowners comes alongside investment for social housing providers to make properties more energy efficient, as well as efforts by local authorities across Greater Manchester to reduce the carbon footprint of public buildings. While the UK as a whole has a 2050 target to acheive carbon neutrality, GMCA has set the more ambitious deadline for the city-region to reach net-zero by 2038.