What You Need to Know About the Green Homes Grant
The government has launched a new scheme called the Green Homes Grant. This will allow homeowners in England to apply for a voucher up to the value of £10,000 to help cover the cost of making certain energy efficient improvements.
At the beginning of the month, the government confirmed exactly what’s covered by the grant and the specific way in which the scheme operates. We’ve compiled it all into this handy guide where we explain how to use your green homes grant.
Check your eligibility for the Green Homes Grant and how to apply.
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How to use your Green Homes Grant
In order to qualify for your Green Homes Grant voucher, you must install at least one of the following primary improvements.
If you’ve previously had these primary improvements installed you can use your voucher to top them up to the recommended level. Unfortunately, the Green Homes Grant can’t be used to replace anything you already have.
Primary Improvements
Insulation
This can both significantly reduce the amount of heat your home loses during the winter and help with keeping the hotter air out in the summer.
The types of insulation you can get with the Green Homes Grant are:
- Cavity wall - This means that you’ve got the outer wall, a gap (which the insulation will be pumped into) then the inner wall.
- Solid wall - Solid walls don’t have that gap. You can choose to insulate it externally or internally but the latter is generally cheaper.
- Underfloor - Getting underfloor insulation in rooms above garages and other spaces which aren’t heated is a great way to ensure suitable temperatures.
- Loft or roof - According to the Energy Saving Trust, around 25% of heat is lost through the roof!^
Low carbon heating
Keep your home warm whilst also helping to reduce your carbon footprint. To get any of these installed you’ll need to have the proper level of insulation but you can get this done at the same time.
- Air source heat pump - This extracts heat from the air and is normally the cheaper, less intrusive option of the two but is slightly less efficient.
- Ground source heat pump - These see water travel around underground pipes and absorb heat from the ground. They can be costly but are much more energy efficient.
- Solar thermal - As long as your roof isn’t in shadow you can take advantage of the sun.
Secondary Improvements
Once you’ve installed one of the above Primary improvements you can then put your vouchers toward any of these.
- Double or triple glazing - This is only applicable if you have single glazing that you want to upgrade. Glazing ranges from an A++ rating to a C and the higher the rating, the more money it will help you save.
For example, replacing all of the single glazed windows in a semi-detached property with A+ double glazed windows could knock up to £110 off your bill!*
- Energy efficient doors - You’ve probably heard of double and triple glazed windows but did you know a fair bit of hot air can also escape through your door?
- Heating controls and insulation - This can include insulation for your hot water tank, delayed-start thermostats and smart heating controls.
It’s important to remember that once you’ve received your funding for the primary improvements, you’ll only receive up to the same amount for secondary improvements. For example, if you get £2000 for loft insulation the maximum amount you can receive to get double glazing is £2000.
How do I get a quote before I apply for the Green Homes Grant?
In order to get a quote before applying, contact a TrustMark registered tradesperson to come round and give you one. Once you've done this, you'll be able to apply for the Grant with the quote.
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Caveat
^Energy Saving Trust.
*Energy Saving Trust. Estimates are based on a typical gas-heated and savings are rounded to the nearest £5.
