Green Homes Grant

Save on energy bills with a £5,000 Green Homes Grant this winter

From 30th September the Green Homes Grant officially launched, allowing homeowners in England to apply for up to £5,000 to pay towards home improvements. With savings of up to £600 a year on bills the scheme will help over 600,000 households in the UK reduce their energy consumption and avoid waste.

The aim of the scheme is to improve energy efficiency in households and the grant will only be available for approved home improvements ranging from installing insulation and low-carbon heating to replacing single glazing with double.

Those in low-income households who receive certain benefits could be eligible for a voucher up to £10,000 to cover the entire cost of improvements.

How much will the government cover?

For the majority of households, the government will cover up to two-thirds of the cost of any allowable improvements up to a maximum of £5,000.

An example job costing £4,000 would result in you paying £1,320 and the Government contributing the remaining £2,680.

Who is eligible?

If you own your own home you will be eligible for the vouchers; this includes leaseholds, shared ownership and flat owners.

You can find out more information here. This will provide a guide on whether you're eligible, what improvements you could receive funding for and accredited tradespeople who can undertake the job.

What improvements are allowed?

Although there are a range of improvements covered by the scheme there is a specific order that needs to be followed before applying for a voucher.

You must install at least one 'primary measure' of insulation or low carbon heating to be eligible for the grant. Primary measures include:

• Insulation: covering solid wall, under floor, cavity wall, loft or roof insulation.
• Low carbon heating: covering air source, ground source or hybrid heat pumps, solar thermal or biomass boilers (renewable energy alternatives).

If a primary measure is installed the grant can also help cover the cost of any secondary measures such as double glazing (replacing single glazing), draught proofing, external energy efficient doors, heating controls, hot water tank thermostats and insulation.

However, any funding for secondary measures will be capped at the amount of funding spent on primary measures. If £500 is spent towards primary insulation then a maximum of £500 can be spent on secondary improvements.

How do I apply?

You can now apply for the grant on the Government website. Before applying make sure you have the following information:

• The name and date of birth of the owner(s) of the property
• The name and date of birth of anyone living in the property who receives benefits
• A quote for the work from a TrustMark-registered tradesperson
• The TrustMark licence number of the tradesperson

Before you apply, we'd recommend checking you're eligible and getting a few quotes on the work you want carrying out. This way you can compare prices from the scheme's provided tradespeople and ensure you're not being overcharged.

Be aware that the scheme will finish on 31st March 2021 and you will need to have applied and had the work carried out by this date. That leaves a 6 month window for all work to be completed.