The government has announced a Green Homes Grant which will give some homeowners and landlords in England a voucher to install one or more of the following “primary categories” in existing properties:
- solid wall, under-floor, cavity wall or roof insulation
- air source heat pump or ground source heat pump
- solar thermal
In addition (if households have installed one of the above), households can use their voucher for further energy saving measures. These “secondary categories” include one or more of the following:
- double or triple glazing/secondary glazing, when replacing single glazing
- upgrading to energy efficient doors
- hot water tank/appliance tank thermostats/heating controls
Households can only use their voucher for “secondary categories” up to the value they have spent on “primary categories”. The scheme starts on 1st October 2020 and wall work must be completed by 31st March 2021.
The voucher can be used to pay two-thirds of the cost of these improvements up to a value of £5,000. Those on low incomes or whose properties have a lower energy performance rating of “D , E or F” can receive 100% of the costs up to a value of £10,000. Landlords, including social landlords are expected to contribute a further 25% to the cost of the works
Suppliers must be registered with TrustMark and the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) to take part in the scheme.
The Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) said the scheme is expected to deliver improvements for over 600,000 households, while creating an estimated 100,000 jobs in green construction.