Green Home Grant Scheme

Frequently Asked Questions

green home grant

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Under the scheme, the UK Government will provide homeowners and landlords with vouchers worth up to a maximum of £10,000.

For most homeowners, the vouchers will be worth about two-thirds of the cost of the energy efficient improvements, up to a maximum of £5,000 per household.

For example, a homeowner installing cavity wall and floor insulation costing £4,000 would only pay about £1,320, with the Government contributing the remaining £2,680 through the voucher scheme.

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

Primary measures:

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.

More information

PRIMARY


Secondary measures:

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.

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 £2,000 for primary measures, they can only receive a maximum of £2,000 towards secondary measures).

More information

SECONDARY

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

Not as simple as it sounds.

Windows and Doors are secondary measures of the scheme and require a primary measure to be included, this could be insulation or low carbon heat.

The scheme includes 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). It does NOT cover the replacement of existing double glazing no matter how old.

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 £2,000 for primary measures, they can only receive a maximum of £2,000 towards secondary measures). You could for example top up the loft insulation and have single glazed windows replaced as part of the scheme.

Unfortunately, the scheme does not include replacement boilers unless replacing with a Low carbon heat: Air source heat pump, ground source heat pump, solar thermal. There will still be something you could benefit from in the form of improved insulation.

There may be help for the replacement boiler from other schemes.

For boiler replacements Ofgem recommends the Simple Energy Advice website and the Energy Saving Trust as good sources of information.

We cannot recommend or give advice, however the following energy providers offer grants toward new boilers which may be of some use to you:

  • E.on – available to existing and non-E.on customers on certain benefits. If your boiler is broken or faulty, E.on will install a new energy efficient boiler, though you'll need to pay a £395 contribution. If the boiler installation requires extra work, such as additional or new pipes, there may be additional costs, however E.on will let you know beforehand. You can see the full eligibility criteria and apply online.
  • EDF – available only to existing customers on certain benefits. If your boiler is broken, EDF will install a new energy efficient one, though you'll need to pay a £240 contribution. See its full eligibility online or apply by calling 0330 200 5119.
  • Npower – available to existing and non-Npower customers on certain benefits. If your boiler is broken or faulty, Npower will install a free or subsidised energy efficient boiler. You can check your eligibility online.

A replacement conservatory roof or upgrade is not included in the scheme. Under normal situations a conservatory is not part of the home and has a physical barrier (external grade doors) separating it from the rest of the dwelling.

If the physical barrier is removed, then the conservatory should comply with building regulations and should be of a suitable construction.

If there are no external grade doors, then it may be applicable to have doors installed. This would be a secondary measure.

This may not be the case for every situation.

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.

Income for the general scheme is not a factor.

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.

Landlords cannot apply for the low-income portion of the scheme.

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

Landlords cannot apply for the low-income portion of the scheme.

No. The Green Homes Grant Scheme is a grant not a loan.
If you rent your home, then the landlord or local authority are able to apply. It is not available to tenants.

Landlords can register for the scheme to upgrade their own home and their rental properties.

The voucher would be up to £5,000 per household.

There will be a selection of suppliers and products.

Any quotations for work will have to be from an accredited supplier under the Green Homes Grant scheme to be able to make the application for the voucher.

A list will be available shortly and if you have registered we will be advising you of the recommended companies in your area.

If you wish to register an interest in the scheme for someone else, we are able to send the information on the scheme for you to assist.

The updates and information will be sent by email to the registered email address.

The final voucher application will have to be in their name for their property.

No.

It is unlikely a new build property will need any of the measures, but may benefit from the installation of low carbon heat measures.

It is not anticipated it will be applicable to unbuilt or properties under construction.

Unfortunately not. The scheme will not cover replacement insulation, but it will cover 'top up' – for example, adding more insulation on top of what you already have.

The Green Homes Grant Scheme was extended in November 2020 and was due to end in March 2022.

Update: 29 March 2021
The Green Homes Grant scheme will be closing to new applications at 5pm on 31 March 2021.

 

If you wish to register your interest in the scheme - click here

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These interpretations of the scheme are as a general guide only. These may not apply in every case. The voucher application will determine the acceptance of quotations and eligibility prior to the issuing of a voucher.