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Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme

 

We will try to answer as many questions as we can to help inform you about the choices you have.

First of all, a little bit about us!

We are a Trustmark registered company that install the following measures:

  • Cavity wall insulation

  • Loft Insulation

  • Solid Wall Insulation

  • Underfloor Insulation 

  • Roof Insulation – Flat Roof and Room-in-Roof Insulation

Under the Green Homes Grant scheme, homeowners in England can apply for vouchers worth up to two-thirds of the cost of upgrading the energy efficiency of their home – the maximum contribution will be £5,000, or for those on lower incomes, a 100% grant up to £10,000 will be available for certain work. 

For example, if a homeowner of a semi-detached or end-terrace home installed cavity wall and floor insulation, costing around £4,000, the homeowner would pay just £1,320 – with the government paying £2,680. Doing so could save the owner over £200 annually on their bills and reduce their carbon footprint by cutting 700 kg of CO2 a year from their home alone.

The vouchers, which will be issued from the end of September 2020, will help pay for energy efficiency improvements that will help cut energy bills and potentially save families hundreds of pounds a year.

The grant scheme is available until the end of March 2021. 

Applications will only be via the government website Simple Energy Advice –

https://www.simpleenergyadvice.org.uk

Businesses must be registered on TrustMark:

https://www.trustmark.org.uk/ghgs

You can read more below, or enquire now on our dedicated ‘Green Home Grants’ website


AVAILABLE MEASURES

The available measures are split into “primary” and “secondary” categories.

Households will need to install at least one of the primary measures below to qualify for funding.

Insulation: Solid wall, cavity wall, under-floor, loft, flat roof, room in roof, park home.

Low carbon heat: Air source heat pump, ground source heat pump, solar thermal

“Top ups” are allowed (e.g. additional loft insulation up to the recommended level, solid wall insulation for other walls where a wall has been previously insulated), but replacements are not included.

So long as there is at least one primary measure in the package of works, households will also be able to install secondary measures. Secondary measures can only be subsidised up to the amount of subsidy provided for primary measures. (e.g. if a household receives £1,000 for primary measures, they can only receive a maximum of £1,000 towards secondary measures).

The secondary measures are:

  • Draught proofing

  • 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).

  • Heating controls and insulation: appliance thermostats, hot water tank thermostats, hot water tank insulation, smart heating controls, zone controls, delayed start thermostat, thermostatic radiator valves

For low-carbon heating to be installed, households will need to have adequate insulation (e.g. wall and loft, where applicable). These can be installed as part of a package – they do not have to already be in situ.

ELIGIBILITY

For the general scheme, the following properties are eligible:

  • All owner-occupied homes (including long-leaseholders, shared ownership)

  • Landlords of private rented sector domestic properties

  • Landlords of social sector domestic properties (including LA owned homes)

  • Park home owners (for residential sites including Gypsy and Traveller sites)

New-build domestic properties and non-domestic properties are not eligible.

For the low-income scheme, only owner-occupied properties and park homes are eligible. Households receiving income-based or disability benefits would be eligible for a fully funded package of measures.

ELIGIBILITY FOR LOW-INCOME SCHEME

You qualify for the Green Home Grants low-income scheme if you receive at least one of the following benefits:

  • Income based Jobseekers allowance (JSA)

  • Income based Employment & Support Allowance (ESA)

  • Income Support (IS)

  • Pension Guarantee Credit

  • Working Tax Credit (WTC)

  • Child Tax Credits (CTC)

  • Universal Credit (UC)

  • Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

  • Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

  • Attendance Allowance

  • Carer’s Allowance

  • Severe Disablement Allowance

  • Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

  • Contribution based Jobseekers allowance (JSA)

  • Contribution based Employment & Support Allowance (ESA)

  • Housing benefit

Green Homes Grant – additional information on what the voucher does and does not cover

COMMON ITEMS COVERED BY THE VOUCHER

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH STANDARDS (MINIMUM PAS2030, IDEALLY PAS2035 FOR INSULATION; OR MCS FOR HEATING):

  • Detailed design drawings and calculations

  • Damp specialist and structural engineer costs

  • Modelling to evaluate moisture risk

  • Modelling to estimate payback

  • Air tightness tests to check for excessive infiltration and ensure adequate controlled ventilation

Contractor costs:

  • Labour and materials

  • Scaffolding

  • Waste removal

  • VAT

Reasonable enabling work to support the retrofit:

  • Necessary structural improvements (e.g. repairs to brickwork or floor joists)

  • Repairing and treating dampo Resolving and eliminating excessive infiltration

  • Repairing and improving controlled ventilation

Low carbon heating:

  • Pipework, pumps and valves, and fitting

  • Buffer tank and domestic hot water cylinder

  • Heating system controls

  • New underfloor heating

  • New high capacity radiators

COMMON ITEMS NOT COVERED BY THE VOUCHER

Professional services:

  • Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) not linked to a retrofit

  • Building surveys not linked to a retrofit

  • Building design, modelling and calculations not linked to a retrofit

Contractor costs:

Training costs for contractors

Asbestos removal

Additional building insurance premiums or certification fees

Building work:

Retrofit measures not identified in the Green Homes Grant voucher scheme

Changes to homes not linked to energy efficiency improvements e.g.

  • General repairs

  • Underpinning

  • Changing window design or area

  • Re-roofing

  • Electricity or gas safety work

  • Damp proofing etc

Boiler replacement or repair

Decoration not linked to a retrofit

Installing insulation to any of the following:

  • New extensions built to current building permission

  • Extension without building permission

  • Extension without planning permission

  • Extension without fixed heating

  • Outbuildings

  • Conservatories without fixed heating

Householder costs:

  • Furniture storage or removal

  • Alternative accommodation costs during disruption