On 30th September 2020, the UK government introduced the Green Home Grant scheme enabling homeowners the chance to apply for a grant of up to £10,000 to make energy efficient changes to their home.
The grant can be used on various aspects of home improvements for example insulation fixes, low carbon heating systems or window glazing. However, there are conditions in place on how you may or may not be eligible for the scheme and what you can use the money for if successful when applying.
Key points to be aware of
- The vouchers equal to roughly two thirds of the cost of the improvements on average, up to a maximum of £5,000.
- If you are on a low income, you could be eligible for up to £10,000.
- Once you receive the vouchers, you will have a maximum of six months to use them with improvements needing completion by 31 March 2021.
- The scheme itself has an outlined a budget of £2 billion, which could run out quickly if successful.
- The voucher cannot be used to cover costs already being made to the property.
What you need to know for applying
To apply, you’ll need:
- Name and date of birth of the property owner or owners
- Name and date of birth of anyone living in the property who is receiving benefits
- A quote for the work from a TrustMark-registered tradesperson
- The TrustMark licence number of your chosen tradesperson
How you can use the grant
You MUST have one primary instalment e.g. insulation or heating.
After a primary instalment you can then get vouchers for secondary improvements, examples of these could be window glazing, energy efficient doors or draught proofing.
Founder of Money Saving Expert, Martin Lewis comments on Green Home Grants
“The Green Home Grants scheme is one every English homeowner should check out. It may provide serious free cash that should both improve the energy efficiency of your home and your home’s value. However, that’s far from saying everyone can benefit, and the scheme isn’t flawless.
There are three major issues I keep hearing about. The most obvious, and in some ways least worrying, is that many people want ‘secondary improvements’ without getting ‘primary ones’. Well, while that may not feel fair, it’s not a flaw, it’s a deliberate design. Grants are primarily targeted at encouraging people to improve insulation and low-carbon heating measures, so you have to get one of those or you can’t do owt else.
The other two issues are closely related and more concerning.
1) A decent number are struggling to find approved local installers. One person in the south-east of England emailed my TV show to say their nearest installer shown on the Government system was 250 miles away in Blackpool (feels a bit like getting a Covid test).
2) Some of those who do find an installer are then being told they won’t be able to complete the work within the six-month deadline, rendering the scheme useless”
To find out more
Check out the GOV UK website, where you can find full details on the scheme.
