This blog was commissioned for Green Home Voucher by Fresh Digital Agency.
The Green Homes Grant is part of a £3bn scheme by the UK Government to reduce carbon emissions in England. It is a push to help homeowners and landlords make their domestic dwellings more energy efficient and warmer in the colder months, as well as support jobs and the economy post pandemic. This initiative will start in September 2020, and end in March 2021.
Do I qualify?
New build domestic properties and non-domestic properties do not qualify, and only properties in England are eligible. Thus far, only the following have been announced under the general grant scheme: long-lease holders, shared ownership homes, landlords of privately rented domestic properties, landlords of social sector domestic properties including local authority homes, and park home owners including Gypsy and Traveller sites. Green Home Vouchers for these properties will cover roughly 66% of your home improvement project, up to a total amount of £5000.
Low-income households are also covered under the Green Homes Grant scheme, but limited to owner-occupied properties and park homes only, and those households receiving disability or income benefits would qualify for Green Home vouchers covering 100% of the home improvement project, up to £10,000.
What are the eligible home improvements for energy saving?
Home owners can apply online for the grant from September and will have to describe what energy saving improvements they would like to make for their home. These improvements are split into primary and secondary categories, and your home improvements must include one primary measure to qualify for the Green Home Voucher.
Primary measures will include insulation (solid wall, cavity wall, under-floor, loft, flat roof, room in roof, park home) and low carbon heating (air source heat pump, ground source heat pump, solar thermal) once the household has adequate insulation. “Top ups” are allowed, such as additional loft insulation to the recommended level, but replacements will not be approved.
Secondary measures will include draught proofing, double and triple glazing only where replacing single glazing, upgrading to energy saving doors only when replacing doors installed prior to 2002, and heating controls and insulation, such as smart heating controls, appliance thermostats, hot water tank thermostats, hot water tank insulation, zone controls, delayed start thermostat, and thermostatic radiator valves.
An important point to note: secondary measures will be capped at the same amount as the primary measures. For instance, if you claim £1000 for insulation, then you will only receive a maximum value of £1000 for any of the secondary measures you claim.
Get in touch with a Green Home Voucher agent today to discover more about this initiative.