Applications Open for Smart Energy Affordability Fund

National Grid Energy Distribution (NGED) is working in partnership with the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) to provide grants of between £30,000 and £40,000 for not-for-profit organisations to help vulnerable households across the National Grid Network area to benefit from low-carbon technologies and smart energy products and services.

The Smart Energy Affordability Fund will support activities that meet one or more of the following objectives:

• Provide in-depth one-to-one advice and support to help vulnerable households access and benefit from low-carbon technologies and smart energy products and services (Required).
• Provide in-depth one-to-one fuel poverty advice and support by helping vulnerable households lower and manage their bills, make their homes more energy efficient, reduce their energy demand, and maximise their income.
• Provide support and advice to increase the resilience of vulnerable households to severe winter weather and what to do in a power cut.
• Target home energy advice and support to households in areas of higher deprivation, at greater risk, not connected to the gas network, or who have difficulty accessing support.
• Connect with healthcare providers, support organisations, and community partners to widen networks, raise awareness of the links between cold, damp homes and poor physical and mental health, improve collaboration to register PSR-eligible patients, and increase access to support.

All projects must provide and report on direct in-depth, one-to-one smart energy support and advice to vulnerable households, such as through online or telephone advice, ongoing casework, home visits, advice drop-ins, or community cafes.

Proposed projects should also deliver outreach and partnership-building activities, such as activities to promote services, extending existing referral networks to work with other support organisations and community partners, or extend the geographical reach of an existing advice service.

Funding is for organisations delivering activities in the National Grid network area (Midlands, South West England, and South & West Wales), and have experience delivering in-depth one-to-one energy advice to vulnerable households.

Proposed activities should take place between 1 June 2025 and 31 May 2026.