Helping Low-Income Homeowners Access Government Scheme

Helping Low-Income Homeowners Access Government Scheme

📌 Client: Coventry City Council 

🎯 Goal: Increase uptake of the Home Upgrade Grant 2 (HUG2) — a government-funded scheme designed to help low-income homeowners reduce their energy bills. 

💸 Despite clear financial benefits, few homeowners were applying. Communication gaps, low trust, and a complex application process were major roadblocks.

We applied psychology-driven strategies to redesign communications, remove friction, and boost participation — making it simpler and more inviting for homeowners to get the help they deserved.

The Challenge: 

🚀 Boost uptake of a government scheme among eligible homeowners.

Even though HUG2 offered major savings, many eligible homeowners stayed away. 

🚧 Barriers Identified 

📩 Messaging was confusing as they came from multiple sources.

😕 Trust levels were low.

😵‍💫 The application process felt overwhelming and was too cumbersome.

🧠 Our Strategy & Insights

We worked closely with the Head of Sustainability at Coventry City Council and personally tested the application process. Here’s what we uncovered:

🔎 Key Friction Points:

• Long Eligibility Check: Homeowners struggled to confirm if they even qualified.

• Inconvenient Help Channels: The helpline had limited hours, frustrating those who needed answers outside of 9–5.

• Conflicting Messages: Mixed information from different sources created confusion and eroded trust. 

💡 Key Psychological Insight:

Getting homeowners to take the first small action was the biggest hurdle.

Once they expressed interest, they were highly likely to follow through and complete the registration.

✅ Our Recommendations

We designed a new, psychology-led communication system to overcome these barriers:

• Updated Official Letter:

Added the Coventry City Council logo for instant credibility and familiarity.

• New Leaflet Insert that will be sent together with the letter:

Simple, friendly information explaining the grant benefits in a clear, inviting way.

• WhatsApp Chatbot Access via QR Code:

Instead of forcing homeowners to call, we made it easy — just scan and chat. Fast, familiar, and available 24/7 on their phones

🔍 Solution Evaluation Using the EAST Framework

We validated our interventions against the EAST framework (Easy, Attractive, Social, Timely):

• Easy: WhatsApp access and a simplified leaflet made the first step effortless.

• Attractive: Bright visuals, emotional messaging, and relatable benefits captured attention.

• Social: Showcasing the 96% satisfaction rate encouraged trust through peer validation.

• Timely: Communications were sent at the start of the month, when people had more mental bandwidth and time.

🚀 How This Applies to Your Business 

Whether you're launching a brand, scaling your startup, or improving your customer engagement strategies, these psychological interventions can drive real results:

🔓 Reduce Friction:

Hidden barriers like confusing forms or unclear steps quietly kill conversions. Simplify every touchpoint to make action effortless.

🤝 Build Instant Trust:

Use credibility markers like logos, reviews, or official affiliations to lower hesitation at first glance.

❤️‍🔥 Enhance Emotional Engagement and Drive Higher Conversions:

People decide with their hearts. Highlight relatable benefits, positive outcomes, and create a feel-good journey.

Click to book your free consultation to apply these insights directly to your brand.

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