Green Homes Grant Scheme Guide (2021)

This winter you could be one of 600,000 homeowners or landlords in England to get up to £10,000 towards the cost of energy-saving measures like insulation as part of the latest government-backed Green Homes Grant.

What is the Green Homes Grant Scheme?
How Do I Apply?
What If I’ve Already Applied for Different Funding?
What Can the Grant be used for?
When Will Vouchers Be Issued & When Can I Use Them?
How to Redeem my Voucher?

What is the Green Homes Grant Scheme?

Under the new scheme, the government is offering homeowners in England vouchers worth up to £5000 to cover up to two-thirds of the cost of energy-efficient and low carbon heat saving measures. The voucher must be used for at least one “primary” improvement, which includes measures such as installing new loft insulation. The government will also cover the same amount for “secondary” improvements, such as replacing old single glazing with efficient new roof windows. For more information, read the full list on the gov.uk website.

Low income households where homeowners are in receipt of certain benefits could even receive up to £10,000 to cover 100% of costs. Improving the energy efficiency of your home could save you up to £600 every year on your energy bills, as well as making it a much more comfortable space year-round. The scheme is open and accepting applications daily, so there’s no time to waste!

How Do I Apply?

Good news for all those interested: Applying to this scheme couldn’t be simpler and can be done quickly by following these straightforward steps.

Check Your Eligibility

All homeowners, including long-leaseholders and those who have shared ownership, will be eligible for this scheme unless your home is newly built and has not been previously occupied. This is because new homes should already have a certain standard of energy saving measures in place as per the Building Regulations. Owners of park homes on a residential site are also eligible.

If you are a landlord, in the private or social residential sectors, you can apply for this scheme of behalf of your tenants. However, you should bear in mind that this grant does count towards your total de minimis state aid. As most privately rented properties should have a minimum EPC (energy performance certificate) rating of E you will also need to provide proof that you have met this standard or are exempt.

Choose Your Improvements

Now that you’ve determined you’re eligible, it’s time to think about which improvements will benefit you the most. The primary measure must include a new form of insulation, and your roof space is the perfect place to start. Up to 20% of heat lost is through the roof, so installing new loft insulation will undoubtedly make your home a more comfortable place to live. We’d recommend using either insulation rolls or slab insulation for this.

For secondary measures, we’d recommend either draughtproofing your windows and doors, or replacing any single-glazed windows you still have in your property. This is as up to 40% of heat is lost here. If you’re still unsure about what to do, you can get some free and easy personalised advice from the simple energy advice website. Remember when choosing your improvements that only certain jobs are covered by the Green Homes Grant, so always double check before confirming any work.

Find an Approved Installer

The most important thing to remember when applying for this grant is that your home improvements can only be undertaken by an approved installer that is TrustMark registered.

The easiest way to find the nearest approved professionals to you is through simple energy advice’s installer search. Just remember to check that they’re registered with the scheme. If you’re a TrustMark registered tradesperson and you’d like to register as a Green Homes Grant Installer, you can do so here. Be aware however that you may also need to be MCS Certified, and that your customer has an in-date scheme voucher before you carry out any work. The government will then pay you for costs covered by the voucher once the work has been completed.

Apply for Your Voucher

Once you’ve decided on your home improvements and have found a reputable installer, click here to start the application process. If approved, you will then receive a redeemable voucher. You will need at least one quote from an installer along with some identity documents to get you started.

What If I’ve Already Applied for Different Funding?

Energy Company Obligation (ECO) Funding

Improvements that have already been covered by ECO cannot also be covered by the Green Homes Grant. However, this only applies to specific measures. For example, if your new window installation has been covered by ECO, fitting insulation in your loft can still be done with a Green Homes Grant voucher.

Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Funding

Both RHI and the Green Homes Grant can be claimed by a single household for a renewable heat installation. The Green Homes Grant must be claimed first so that you can notify Ofgem when you apply for RHI. The grant will then be deducted off your RHI payments.

Local Authority Delivery Scheme Funding

If you have already received this funding from your local authority you cannot also apply for this grant.

What Can the Grant be used for?

This voucher covers the costs of labour, materials and VAT and be used for a range of different home improvements. For ease, this have been split into primary and secondary measures.

Primary Measures

The Voucher must be used to install at least 1 form of primary measure. These include:

Insulation

Solid wall & Underfloor insulation: This can be done using suitable PIR boards.
Loft & Roof Insulation (Pitched or Flat): This can be done using foil, wool or
Cavity Wall Insulation: This will likely need to be blow in insulation.
Room in roof insulation
Insulating a park home

Low Carbon Heat

Air source heat pump
Ground source heat pump
Solar thermal
Biomass boiler
Hybrid heat pump

Secondary Measures

If you are installing at least 1 one of the primary measures listed above, the voucher can also be used to help cover part (or all) of the cost of any of the following additional measures:

Windows and Doors

Draught proofing
Double or triple glazing (only when replacing a single glazed window)
Secondary Glazing
Energy efficient replacement doors

Heating Controls and Insulation

Hot water tank thermostat
Hot water tank insulation
Heating controls (e.g. appliance thermostats or smart heating controls)

When Will Vouchers Be Issued & When Can I Use Them?

Vouchers will start being issued at the start of November for each separate measure you have applied for. Meaning that if you have applied to have your windows replaced AND insulation installed in your loft you should receive two separate vouchers. Each can only be used by the named individual who applied and cannot be transferred to someone else.

Each voucher will be valid for 3 months from the from the date they are issued or until 31^st March 2021, whichever may come first. However, if necessary, an extension can be requested up until the scheme has ended.

When you have received your voucher, the planned work can begin. Any work that has started before the voucher has been issued cannot be claimed.

How to Redeem my Voucher?

Before you can redeem your voucher, you will need to confirm four things:

First, that the installation was completed to a satisfactory level BEFORE the voucher expiry date
Second, that you have received all the necessary documents, invoice included, from the installer
Third, that you have paid your share over the costs to the installer (if any)
Finally, that you meet the necessary eligibility requirements

You will then need to provide a dated copy of the invoice and the grant will be paid, on your behalf, directly to your installer.

You should bear in mind that your installer may ask for a deposit. However, this cannot be larger than the amount they would typically charge for any given job nor larger than the total sum your expected contributions. If you’ve applied for the low-income scheme a deposit cannot be requested unless the total cost of the job exceeds £10,000.

If you have any questions about the Green Grant Scheme, a help page has been set up in which you can contact the support team directly.

Ordering Materials for Green Homes Grant Work

If you’re a homeowner or an installer looking for high-quality energy-efficient materials for a Green Homes Grant job, or anything else, take a look at our extensive insulation range. We stock boards, rolls, slabs, and more from industry-leading brands such as Kingspan and Celotex, you’re sure to find the perfect fit for your next project. You can order right here on our website or contact our award-winning customer service team direct for a quote at 01295 565 565.

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