Green Homes Grant – Making Your Home More Energy Efficient
A new Government scheme launching in September details how eligible homeowners will be issued vouchers up to £5,000 to make their homes more energy efficient. The ‘Green Homes Grant’ scheme is intended to be used for installing home improvements such as insulation and double glazing to make homes more environmentally friendly, and as of August 2020, full details of the scheme have been announced. The Government has currently put aside £2 billion for the scheme, Chancellor Rishi Sunak confirmed in his economic statement.
How Does The Scheme Work?
Homeowners will apply for a voucher once the scheme is running in September, and following this, will be able to spend the amount awarded on these energy efficient improvements.
This is set to be two-thirds of the cost of updating your home, up to the value of £5,000 per household, though those on lower incomes could be awarded more.
It’s worth considering too that these energy efficient improvements may have an everlasting effect on the reduction of energy bills, so if there’s any good time to invest, it’s now.
The scheme’s aim is to promote energy efficiency and boost the economy following the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. This grant only applies to England at present, so Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland homes are not included.
However, despite certain regions being excluded, anyone can take the opportunity to update and renovate their home for energy efficiency purposes. Replacing old timber fascia not only gives your property an uplift, but can help insulate your home too, cutting down on bills– it’s worth taking on the DIY project in the name of the environment.
What Can I Use The Vouchers On?
In the first instance, the vouchers must be used on the following energy efficient improvements:
- Insulation – this could include many types of information such as cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, under-floor insulation and more.
- Air source heat pumps
- Ground source heat pumps
- Solar thermal systems for water heating
Once one of these energy efficient improvements has been implemented, there is the chance to apply for a secondary energy saving measure such as:
- Double or triple glazing
- Hot water tank installation
- Energy efficient doors
- Smart heating controls for your home
- Draught proofing your home
If you’re updating your double glazing, take it one step further and secure your window even further with external window cills. These can prevent moisture build up and keep your home dry and damage free, saving you expensive repairs further down the line.
Similarly, in the meantime you can help to draught proof your home by ensuring your fascia and soffits are up to date. These can bring added protection against the elements and keep your home warm and dry.
Further improvements counted in the scheme are yet to be confirmed.
How Much Am I Eligible For?
The vouchers will pay for at least two thirds of the energy efficient improvements you make to your home. The amount you could receive for the second round of improvements would then depend on the amount gifted for the initial improvements.
For example, if you were given a £1500 voucher for insulation, your second voucher for further improvements could be up to the value of £1500 for draught proofing or another secondary measure.
How Can I Apply?
The scheme is set to be launched in September, with homeowners encouraged to apply online. The process will look something like this:
• The specific energy efficient improvements the voucher can be used for will be shown to the homeowner to choose from, along with a list of accredited suppliers who are TrustMark approved or MCS registered.
• Once one of these suppliers has provided a quote and this has been approved, vouchers will be issued.
What we don’t know at this point is how long approval for these renovations will take, nor how long it will take before a voucher is issued. From what we understand so far, there is no qualifying income in obtaining these vouchers, so every homeowner is likely to be eligible.
However the scheme is set to work, it’s undeniable that this will vastly improve energy efficiency for individual homeowners by reducing bills, but it is also set to have a huge environmental impact in terms of using less fuel to power the UK’s homes.
If you’re looking to get ahead of the game and give your home a DIY uplift, we have a range of window cills, fascia and more to give your house a new lease of life and extra environmental advantages!
