In July 2020 the government announced a grant for homeowners to be able to install air, and ground source heat pumps using the Green Homes Grant of up to £10,000 in the form of vouchers.
Under what is known as the general scheme, you can claim a voucher for up to £5000 to cover two thirds of the cost of all labour, materials, and VAT. The so-called Low Income Scheme allows you to claim up to £10,000 which covers the entire cost (no contribution is required).
So what can it be used for? These are split into ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ measures. Primary measures include insulation and/or a low carbon heating measure (low carbon measures include air or ground source heat pump, solar thermal and biomass boilers, insulation includes: cavity wall, solid wall, underfloor, loft, flat roof, room in roof and in park homes). You must have one primary measure to qualify for both schemes and the amount you get towards the cost of secondary measures cannot exceed the amount you get for primary measures.
In addition to the essential primary measures, your voucher can be used to add secondary measures (such as draught proofing, double or triple glazed windows, or secondary glazing, external energy efficient doors, heating controls, insulation appliance thermostats, hot water tank thermostats, hot water tank insulation, smart heating controls and zone controls, delayed start thermostats as well as thermostatic radiator valves to your application).
Installers need to be MCS accredited and must be TrustMark registered under the Green Homes Grant as an installer to meet the standard with this government initiative.
To be eligible apply for the voucher, you must either own your home or be a private or social landlord and your property must be in England to be eligible for the scheme.
New-build properties that have not previously been occupied are not eligible for the scheme and you cannot apply for the scheme if you have already received a grant from your local authority as part of the Local Authority Delivery Scheme.
Customers must redeem the voucher and ensure all the work is completed by 31 March 2021.
To apply, you must have a quote from your installer (3 is recommended but only one required) and when asked, you will need to upload it onto the application.
You will be taken through some questions - Do you own the property? Is it a new build? Do you receive any of the following benefits? Then some questions for landlords only - how you operate as one. etc. Then you will be asked if you have received any funds from state run schemes, if you have received support from the "Green Homes Grant: Local Authority Delivery (LAD) scheme", what type of property it is and the age of property and you will then be asked if you have received advice on the appropriate measures to install (through Simple Energy Advice (SEA) site) then enter your contact and personal details, details of the benefit recipient.
Next you will be asked to enter the primary measures (essential) and then the secondary (optional). These will in tern have questions within them, for example. If you select Air Source Heat Pump from primary measures, you will then need to confirm who the installer is and their TrustMark installer or licence number.
Trustmark registered installers are referred from the government green homes grant webpage (displaying the companies MCS scheme provider on the search) to the website of the companies closest to their postcode within an adjustable search area.
Xpert Energy serve the South of UK and are specialists in heat pumps, underfloor and MVHR and can give you a tailored quote that will be more detailed and accurate based on your properties heat loss calculations and the heating requirements of your property.
If you are ready to apply for your Green Homes Grant click here.
More Green Homes Grant reading: