Crowhurst couple slash energy bills by two-thirds after getting free home upgrades

With energy bills forecast to rise again this summer, a retired couple in East Sussex say a government-funded home upgrade has seen their monthly electricity bills fall by two-thirds.

Sonia Plato, who lives with her husband Dave, said their 1883 property in Crowhurst had a G energy rating - the lowest possible. There's also no gas supply in the village, so they had relied on 50-year-old storage heaters running on economy 7 tariffs - and many of their neighbours heat their homes on oil.

Last summer, under the guidance of community organisation Energise Sussex Coast, the couple had insulation and solar panels installed through ECO4, the government scheme which funds upgrades for fuel-poor households.

"This is the first winter in 40 years when we haven't been cold," said Sonia. "When you see the results, there is no question - it's absolutely wonderful."

The upgrades included loft insulation, new storage heaters and nine solar panels. The couple also paid privately for battery storage and damp proofing.

Sonia said the couple's home had suffered from damp which she believes contributed to her developing asthma. With both she and her husband Dave now retired and living on pensions, reducing bills was a priority.

“For us personally, it's been really important to increase the warmth and efficiency to lower our bills," Sonia said.

She acknowledged that disruption during installation is a common concern for older homeowners, but said the results speak for themselves, and added: "It has definitely been worth it. We just can't believe that it was paid for."

Monitoring the solar panels through an app has also given the couple greater control over their energy use, alerting them to use energy-intensive appliances, like the washing machine, when the sun is shining.

"You can see when solar is actually powering things - it makes you feel you've got much more control over your bills," Sonia said. "I'm not so anxious about leaving heaters on. We used to have an open fire upstairs to supplement the poor heat, and we haven't used that since."

Despite the house facing north east and tree cover behind the property, Sonia said the solar panels have performed well. She is now urging other residents in the village to consider an upgrade before ECO4 closes at the end of the year.

"There's no gas in the village - it's just electricity or oil, which is not the best thing to be on at the moment," she said. "There are about 300 homes in Crowhurst and a lot of them are similar to ours - old stock with no insulation or very out-of-date insulation. We have got people with large houses who are cash poor but property rich - a large number of elderly people as well as families.

"Our bills have gone down and we just feel that we can live in our home without worrying about the cost. I just hope it could be rolled out to more people."

For advice on energy schemes and saving money on your energy bills, visit: https://www.energisesussexcoast.co.uk/services/energy-advice/

This article was commissioned by the Local Storytelling Exchange and also appeared on Hastings Online Times and Sussex World.