The Green Homes Grant Scheme – Everything You Should Know

What is the Green Home Grant Scheme?

Recently, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak announced some more information about the new green home grant scheme that is due to come into effect in September of this year. The scheme has been set up to run for 6 months, allowing homeowners to claim vouchers for particular home improvements.

The team at Alaskan Windows have come up with a handy guide for you to read, with our understanding about the grant, and whether you will be eligible for it. If you want to find out even more information about the scheme, then you can also take a look at the recent press release published by the UK Government.

Please Note: Due to the current understanding of the mechanics of this particular scheme, we will not be taking part at this time despite being registered with TrustMark. 

What’s Included Within the Grant?

• If you’re a homeowner living in England, you’ll have the opportunity to claim up to £5,000 in vouchers for a range of energy efficient home improvements. We will list below what improvements fall into this category.
• Low-income homes will be able to claim up to £10,000 in vouchers.

What Home Improvements Can I Upgrade My Property With?

If you think your eligible for the green scheme and want to know what upgrades you can make, then take a look below. There are a selection of both primary and secondary measures included within the Government scheme.

Primary Measures that can be carried out include:

• Installation of solid wall, under-floor, cavity wall or roof insulation.
• Installation of air source or ground source heat pumps.
• Installations of solar thermal home improvements.

Households in England can also use their vouchers for further energy-saving measures. Secondary measures include:

• Replacing single glazing with double or triple glazing options.
• Upgrading to energy efficient doors.
• Installation of hot water tank/appliance tank thermostats/heating controls.

All installers who carry out work as a part of the green scheme must be signed up to the TrustMark scheme. Alaskan Windows are an accredited installer, but we earned this accreditation through the quality of our workmanship.

What Does This Mean For Homeowners?

It has been made clear by the UK Government that the grant will focus more on the primary home improvements before any of the secondary measures are carried out. It is also important to note that you can only receive a grant for one of the secondary measures if you first applied and had approvement on one of the primary measures.

If you have had all of the primary measures implemented within your Surrey or London home, this, therefore, means you will no longer be eligible to receive a grant for any of the secondary measures. Homeowners can apply for funding for secondary measures, but it cannot exceed the money that’s available for primary measures.

Can I Still Upgrade My Double Glazing?

For homes across Surrey and London with double glazed windows, it would be worth noting that you will not be able to apply for the grant to replace it. Currently, you are only able to upgrade single glazed windows with double or triple glazing solutions.

If you’re looking to replace a door, then you do have an opportunity to upgrade, although this will count as one of the secondary measures set out. If you had doors installed prior to 2002, then you could meet the eligibility requirements to have your door upgraded. It is still unclear as to whether this measure covers just front doors, or whether this may also include back doors as well as patio and French style profiles. If you have any questions about this, then please don’t hesitate to give our team a call today on 020 8644 8060.

Accredited Installers Can Only Carry Out the Work

Installers who wish to meet the eligibility requirements to carry out installations as a part of the scheme need to have a TrustMark accreditation. Being a registered TrustMark trader gives you, and other homeowners across London and Surrey ultimate peace of mind that they’re new home improvements are being carried out by professionals to exceed all standards of quality. You’ll also be pleased to know, that the work carried out is protected.

How Do I Know If I’m Eligible For the Scheme?

So how do you know if you’re eligible for the home improvement green scheme? Surrey and London homeowners can find out more about the current energy rating of their home and contact Simple Energy Advice for any support needed. Once discussed and approved, vouchers for your energy saving home improvements will be issued from the end of September, allowing installers to commence work on your home.

If you would like to find out more about the Government’s energy saving green scheme, then you can visit the UK Government’s website.

Alaskan Windows are not offering any work under the Government Scheme at this stage. If anything changes, we will update this blog post accordingly. 

If you would still like to get a quote for windows and doors, please do not hesitate to get in touch.