The £2bn Green Homes Grant scheme is a government-funded voucher scheme that helps homeowners pay for the cost of installing thermal insulation and other energy-efficiency measures in their homes.
As part of a broader £3bn investment plan by the government, the scheme was launched to improve the energy efficiency of the UK’s housing stock, contributing towards the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Its launch, amid the economic downturn caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, is hoped to give a boost to the economy, particularly the construction sector.
For contractors, the Green Homes Grant could be a welcome source of new work – but you’ll have to act quickly to ensure you are approved to carry out installations under the scheme.
What is the Green Homes Grant?
Up to 600,000 eligible homeowners will be able to apply for vouchers worth up to £5,000 on the Simple Energy Advice (SEA) website which can cover up to two-thirds of the cost of energy efficiency upgrades. In some cases, vouchers worth up to £10,000 may also be available for lower income homes and can cover 100% of the upgrades up to the £10,000 voucher limit.
Work covered by the grant is split into two categories. Primary measures include the installation of thermal insulation products, condensing boilers, double glazing and solar thermal systems. Examples of secondary measures include draught-proofing and new heating controls. To receive a grant, homeowners must have at least one improvement from the primary category and the cost of secondary measures must not be greater than the primary choices.
What do contractors need to know about the Green Homes Grant?
To apply for the Green Homes Grant, homeowners will first need to answer some questions on the SEA website to find out if they are eligible and what kind of improvements are available to them. They can then choose the primary and secondary improvements they wish to take advantage of and finally contact contractors for quotations.
Applications for the grant are now open, so you may have already heard from some potential customers.
If you wish to carry out work under the scheme, however, you’ll need to be TrustMark approved. This requires certification under the 2017 or 2019 versions of PAS 2030. Find out more about PAS 2030 or how to get registered with TrustMark by downloading the BMF leaflet covering this process. Once approved by TrustMark, your company will be added to the directory of local tradespeople that is provided to homeowners.
Depending on the measures being installed, you may need additional certification under the relevant scheme provider or certification body, for example, installers of low-carbon heating systems will need to be certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme.