The Green Homes Grant will provide homeowners with vouchers for energy efficiency improvements worth up to £5,000, with the government covering two-thirds of the cost.
As the UK has a leaky housing stock and this is the cheapest way of tackling carbon emissions, whilst providing jobs, this is great news. Energy efficiency measures cut average home emission by a third, whilst they require mostly unskilled labour, helping the economy recover, bringing people back into work.
For more information on energy-efficient improvements do see our Energy Efficiency for Homes & Buildings webpage as well as viewing the countless topics shared by our members
How do you get a Green Homes Grant?
From September you will be able to apply for a voucher and then you’ll be able to use accredited suppliers to fulfil works. The scheme applies only to England, so you won’t be able to access it in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
What measures to the vouchers cover?
To qualify for any financial support, you need to install at least one of the following ‘primary’ #energy-efficiency measures:
- Insulation - roof, walls, under-floor or loft.
- #renewable_heating - heat pumps (#airsourceheatpump) or solar thermal.
You can use vouchers to improve upon existing measures which are described as ‘top ups’, and if you’re installing renewable heating your house has to have sufficient insulation.
If you do any of the above the vouchers can then cover secondary measures:
- Draught proofing
- Double or triple glazing.
- Energy-efficient doors.
- Heat controls and pipe and boiler insulation.
But what does need to be remembered is that secondary measures need to at least match primary measures in price.
What is the real value of vouchers?
The vouchers will be worth 2/3rds of the cost of the #energy-efficiency measure, so if you were to utilize all primary and secondary measures to the value of £5,000, the government would pay £3,333 directly to the installer.
But for those on low incomes (1), the vouchers can be worth up to £10,000 and the government will cover the full cost of the improvements.
(1) Will for those receiving at least one income-based or disability benefit. The qualifying benefits are income-based jobseekers allowance (JSA), income-based employment & support allowance (ESA), income support, pension guarantee credit, working tax credit, child tax credits, universal credit, disability living allowance, personal independence payment (PIP), attendance allowance, carer’s allowance, severe disablement allowance, industrial injuries disablement benefit, contribution based jobseekers allowance (JSA), contribution-based employment & support allowance (ESA) and housing benefit. Contribution based Employment & Support Allowance (ESA).
Who can get the vouchers?
Those eligible are:
- Home-owners (including long-leaseholders and shared ownership properties)
- Landlords of both private rented and social domestic housing.
Those not eligible:
- Commercial properties
When and how can I apply?
The Government says you will be able to access advice and support from the Simple Energy Advice service (SEA) later this month.
This SEA service will suggest #energy-efficiency improvements and will offer a list of approved registered tradespeople in their area to carry out the work.
Vouchers will then e issued from the end of September.
Which Tradespeople will be Eligible to Deliver the Work?
Any TrustMark Registered Business or MCS Certified tradesperson should be eligible, but installers do have additional requirements they must follow.