GREEN HOMES GRANT

What is the Green Homes Grant?

The UK Government have introduced a plan to allow homeowners and landlords to apply for vouchers from a £2 billion Green Homes Grant scheme to fund at least two-thirds of the cost of hiring tradespeople to upgrade the energy performance of their homes up to a maximum contribution of £5,000.

 

How long do homeowners and landlords have to access the scheme?

Homeowners across England will have until the end of March 2022 to have energy efficiency upgrades to their homes completed through the Green Homes Grant scheme.
NB: The time-period was extended in November, following the release of the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution

 

Low-income support:

If an individual, or someone in the household, receive certain benefits they may be eligible for a voucher covering 100% of the cost of the improvements. The maximum value of the voucher is £10,000.

 

Are landlords able to access low-income support?

Landlords are not eligible for low-income support.

 

Where does the scheme apply?

The Green Homes Grant scheme is only available to homeowners and residential landlords in England.

 

Does the scheme apply to all property types? 

No, the Green Homes Grant scheme does not apply to newly built homes that have not been previously occupied.

 

When did the scheme start?

On the 30 September 2020, the UK Government opened applications for the Green Homes Grant Scheme.

 

How do the vouchers work? 

Landlords and homeowners can apply for the grants on the GOV.UK website. Applicants will be asked some basic questions about their home followed by recommendations on eligible improvements, including information on local suppliers. Once a supplier has provided a quote and the work has been approved, a voucher will be issued via email.

 

What costs does the voucher cover?

Costs that are covered by the voucher include:
• labour
• materials
• VAT (value-added tax)

Who can carry out the work?All work covered by the voucher must be completed by a TrustMark-registered installer who is also registered for the scheme. The installer will also need to meet PAS (Publicly Available Specification) and MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) standards when installing measures.

Are there any restrictions?

Yes, landlords and homeowners cannot claim towards the cost of a measure which has also had funding under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO). Landlords and homeowners can claim both ECO and Green Homes Grant as long as they are each for different measures – for example loft insulation and cavity wall insulation.

How does this interact with the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)?
Landlords and homeowners can claim both the Domestic RHI and the Green Home Grant for a renewable heat installation. They must claim the Green Home Grant voucher first and then notify Ofgem that they have used it when they apply for accreditation to the Domestic RHI. The
Green Homes Grant will then be deducted from the landlord or homeowner Domestic RHI payments.

Do landlords need to prove anything before applying?
Most private rented properties must have a minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E. If landlords are applying for a voucher for a private rented sector property, they need to either
provide:
• proof that they have met this standard
• proof of an exemption

Where can landlords and homeowners get advice specific to their property on measures the Grant will fund?
Landlords and homeowners can use the Simple Energy Advice (SEA) website to check what energy efficiency or low carbon heating improvements may be best suited to their home. Landlords and homeowners can also seek advice from their property’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) or from a retrofit assessor.

NB: Landlords and homeowners cannot claim for the cost of any advice as part of their grant.

 

What will the Grant cover?
The available measures are split into ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ measures. The amount landlords and homeowners claim towards the cost of secondary measures cannot exceed the amount they can receive for primary measures. Landlords and homeowners will only be able to redeem vouchers for secondary measures once they have installed a primary measure and redeemed the vouchers for that measure.

 

Primary Measures: 

The voucher must be used to install at least one primary measure. These are:

Insulation: 

• Solid wall insulation (Internal or External)
• Cavity wall insulation
• Under-floor insulation (Solid floor, suspended floor)
• Loft insulation
• Flat roof insulation
• Pitched roof insulation
• Room in roof insulation
• Insulating a park home

Low Carbon Heat:

• Air source heat pump
• Ground source heat pump
• Solar thermal (liquid filled flat plate or evacuated tube collector)
• Biomass boiler
• Hybrid heat pump

 

Secondary Measures: 
If landlords and homeowners install at least one primary measure, their voucher can be used to help cover the cost of any of the following secondary measures:

 

Windows and doors
The following measures are covered by the voucher:
• Draught proofing
• Double or triple glazing (where replacing single glazing)
• Secondary glazing (in addition to single glazing)
• Energy efficient replacement doors (replacing single glazed or solid doors installed before
2002)

Heating controls and insulation
• hot water tank thermostat
• hot water tank insulation
• heating controls (such as, appliance thermostats, smart heating controls, zone controls,
intelligent delayed start thermostat, thermostatic radiator valves)

 

Is there anything to watch out for?
Applying for a voucher does not guarantee that an application will be approved. Landlords and homeowners should not commit to start any work they have been successfully issued with a voucher.

When will landlords and homeowners get the voucher?
Landlords and homeowners will receive a separate voucher for each of the measures that they have applied to install.
NB: Each voucher is only valid for the measure and property landlords and homeowners have applied for.

Who can use the voucher?
The voucher is only for use by the named applicant and cannot be transferred to another person.

When can the work start?
Landlords and homeowners can only begin work once the voucher has been issued. Any work that was started before that date cannot be claimed.

How long are the vouchers valid for?
Vouchers will be valid for three months from the date they are issued or until 31 March 2022
(whichever is earlier).

 

Contact Kilnstone Property to find out more information!