Get a free, personalised plan for a warmer, cheaper home
Most of us know our home could be warmer and cheaper to run, but knowing where to start can feel overwhelming. A new, free tool called Homewise, backed by all six Oxfordshire councils and developed by Energy Saving Trust, takes the guesswork out. The average user ends up saving £270 per year!
Homewise pulls together information about your property and asks you how you use it day-to-day. Crucially, you can also tell it what matters most to you, be it reaching a particular energy efficiency rating, cutting your bills as much as possible, or making improvements within a set budget. It then creates a personalised plan and points you toward the grants and local services that could help you act on it.
The improvements it might recommend range from lower-cost steps - like draught-proofing, topping up loft insulation, or switching to LED lighting - to larger changes such as cavity wall insulation, double glazing, or replacing an old boiler with a heat pump. You don't have to do everything at once. The plan helps you see what would make the biggest difference and what's realistic for your circumstances. Grants worth up to £30,000 are available for lower-income households, and up to £7,500 for those earning more.
The benefits of a better-insulated home go well beyond the heating bill. Rooms hold their warmth, cold spots and draughts disappear, and homes stay cooler in summer too. It’s the kind of everyday comfort that's hard to put a number on. There are health gains as well: cold, damp homes are linked to respiratory conditions, weaker immune systems, and poorer mental health, all of which take a quiet toll over time.
If you own your home, Homewise is a natural starting point. It helps you understand which improvements would make the biggest difference, and what's realistic to take on now versus later. If you'd like more hands-on support once you have your plan, Cosy Homes Oxfordshire or Better Housing Better Health can guide you through the next steps.
If you're a landlord, Homewise gives you a clear, goal-oriented starting point for planning ahead. Grants are available to help with costs, and improvements made now will count towards your future compliance spend. The government’s Warm Homes Plan confirms that all privately rented homes must reach a minimum energy efficiency standard (band C on an Energy Performance Certificate) by October 2030, with legislation currently in progress to make this law.
If you rent, you can still use the tool and the plan it produces is yours to keep. Sharing it with your landlord could open a practical conversation about improvements.
It takes around ten minutes, costs nothing, and could change how your home feels for years to come.