The Best Guide for the Northampton Area

Green homes grant scheme boost for homeowners and landlords

Author: Craig Bees

Published: 24th November 2020 11:55

Homeowners can apply for voucher towards cost of low carbon heating improvements

Running alongside last week’s Government of a ten-point green plan for the UK is the recently announced Green Homes Grant Scheme – good news for homeowners and buy-to-let landlords.

Traditional building methods all contribute to a home’s carbon emissions which can impact on the cost of running a home and affect its value. But property owners could reap significant advantages by shifting to a green model.

The scheme allows homeowners and landlords to apply for a voucher from the government towards the cost of qualifying energy efficiency and low carbon heating improvements to homes.

The voucher will cover two thirds of this cost up to £5,000 or, for households on low incomes or receiving certain benefits, the entire cost up to £10,000. However, landlords can only apply for costs up to £5,000.

What work can be carried out on a property as part of the Green Homes Grant?

Work covered by the scheme is broken down into two parts – primary measures and secondary measures. Homeowners will need to undertake at least one primary measure in order to qualify.

Primary measures are classified as follows:

1. Installing insulation in a solid wall, cavity wall, under the floor, in a loft, in a flat roof, in a room in roof or in a park home
2. Improving low carbon heat via the installation of an air source heat pump, ground source heat pump or solar thermal
3. ‘Top ups’ are allowed eg the installation of additional loft insulation to meet the minimum recommended level or the installation of solid wall insulation for other walls where a wall has been previously insulated. However, replacements are not included.

Secondary measures cannot be subsidised for more than the amount of cost to carry out the primary measure. For example, if a household receives £1,000 for primary measures, they can only receive a maximum of £1,000 towards any secondary measures.

Second measures including the following:

1. Draught proofing
2. Updating windows and doors: double/triple glazing (where replacing single glazing), secondary glazing (in addition to single glazing), upgrading to energy efficient doors (where replacing doors installed prior to 2002)
3. Updating heating controls and insulation. These include appliance thermostats, hot water tank thermostats, hot water tank insulation, smart heating controls, zone controls, delayed start thermostat, thermostatic radiator valves
4. For low-carbon heating to be installed, households will need to have adequate wall insulation eg cavity wall or solid wall insulation and, where applicable, loft insulation. These can be installed as part of a package – they do not have to already be in situ.

Which companies accept the Green Homes Grant voucher?

Under the terms and conditions, homeowners will need to use one of the TrustMark certified tradespeople listed on the government’s directory of approved installers.

How do homeowners and landlords apply for a Green Homes Grant?

Visit the Simple Energy Advice’s (SEA) website to find out if they are eligible for a voucher. There you can access further information and advice about what improvements will be suitable for their property.

In order to carry out work under the scheme, all tradespeople and businesses will need to be certified to install energy efficiency or low carbon heat measures to relevant standards and must register their certification.

If you have any questions or queries about this call our office on (01327) 359164 and we will do our best to help you.

Until next time.

Craig Bees, MD Bartram & Co

Tel: (01327) 359164 E-mail craigbees@bartramandco.co.uk


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