FAQ’s About the Green Homes Grant: Answered

2020 has brought a ton of unexpected challenges to the UK population, with the pandemic causing many homeowners and businesses to put their plans on hold. Despite the difficulties, the government have also announced a number of more positive schemes this year too.

The £2 billion Green Homes Grant Scheme, announced by Rishi Sunak at the start of July, will have a number of benefits for homeowners, landlords and tradespeople. Essentially, you can apply for vouchers worth up to £5000 to go towards home improvements that will allow your home to run more efficiently and reduce your carbon footprint. In turn, this will create a huge amount of opportunity for local accredited tradespeople to bring on new business and boost their brand reputation at a time when many businesses are tight on cash.

What does the scheme entail?

Business and Energy Secretary Alok Sharma has said, ‘green home improvements will save people money on their energy bills, help to cut carbon emissions, and create new work for many thousands of builders, plumbers and other tradespeople’.

If your home isn’t running efficiently and you find your energy bills going through the roof, this scheme is the perfect opportunity to benefit from government funding to fix this. Whether you need more insulation installing, double-glazed windows, or new doors to stop draughts creeping in, you can use the government’s vouchers to work with quality tradespeople and improve your home. The run-up to winter is the ideal time of year to get rid of any draughts and ensure your home can be heated efficiently without you having to fork out tons of money on energy bills.

To find out more about the Green Homes Grant Scheme, BOXT has put together a simple guide highlighting all you need to know. They also offer a range of energy-efficient combi boilers and smart home systems so you can make sure you are in full control of your heating and your energy bills each month.

How much can you receive?

For the majority of homeowners and landlords, you can receive vouchers worth the value of up to £5000 to spend on your green home improvements. If your household is on a lower income, you can receive vouchers that cover your entire costs of up to £10,000.

What can the vouchers be spent on and why?

There are two main categories of green home improvements that homeowners can apply for funding for, primary and secondary. Primary improvements are the larger and more expensive matters like adding wall, loft or roof insulation. Secondary improvements to improve the efficiency of your home include the installation of double-glazed windows, draught-proofing your home or adding smart thermostat controls to your existing heating system.

Who is able to apply?

Anyone who owns a home that is in need of improvements to improve efficiency is eligible to apply, whether you live in your home yourself or are a landlord. In other words, if you’re new on the property ladder and have just moved into a new-build home, you won’t be able to apply as newer homes are built with key energy-efficient elements in mind.

When can you apply?

Before applying for any vouchers through the scheme, it’s best to consult a professional and qualified Simple Energy Advice surveyor to identify which areas of your home are letting you down when it comes to efficiency. Then, you can start to get quotes from the government’s list of accredited builders and tradespeople before submitting your quote in exchange for the necessary government funding.