Log In / Register
Basket
Free delivery on orders over £75 ex VAT
Earn points with My City Plumbing Rewards
Free click & collect from branches nationwide
Buy now, pay later interest freeWhilst gas-fuelled appliances continue to be the most popular way of heating our homes, doing so in a more efficient and eco-friendly way is now more important than ever. Not only will it benefit the planet by cutting emissions, going green will help cut bills too. And in a bid to help the UK reach the government’s target of hitting net zero carbon emissions by 2050, the Green Homes Grant scheme has been launched. This new incentive encourages homeowners and landlords to help make energy saving home improvements with the aid of government issued vouchers.
Here we’ll explain all about the Green Homes Grant, how you can secure renewable energy jobs in the near future and how City Plumbing can help you.
What is the Green Homes Grant and how does it work?
The Green Homes Grant is an incentive-based scheme in which the government will pay up to two-thirds of energy saving home improvements up to £5,000 – with low-income homeowners being able to claim 100%. The vouchers will be issued to homeowners and landlords and will run until March 2021.
The home improvement measures available under the scheme are split into ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ measures. The voucher must be used to install at least one primary measure before the voucher can be used to help cover the cost of a secondary measure. To obtain a voucher, homeowners and landlords in England will be able to seek advice from the Simple Energy Advice (SEA) service website.
Energy saving home improvements covered by the scheme include heat pumps, biomass and solar thermal heating solutions, insulation, underfloor heating, radiators and double glazing, but gas boilers are not included – instead, people are being urged to go for low-carbon heating alternatives.
Under the scheme, the Treasury claims that utilising these vouchers could help families make an average annual saving of £200 on their energy bills. But it’s not only homeowners and landlords who will benefit, business secretary Alok Sharma says: “[The scheme] will create new work for many thousands of talented builders, plumbers, and other tradespeople right across the UK.”
Currently only homes in England are eligible for the scheme, but new-build and non-domestic properties are exempt.
What are the primary saving measures?
In order to qualify for any funding, homeowners and landlords must install at least one of the following measures in the primary category:
- Low carbon heating – such as ground source heat pumps, biomass or solar thermal, underfloor heating and radiators
- Insulation – such as loft, cavity wall, or under-floor insulation
It’s worth noting that replacements of existing insulation or low carbon heating will not qualify for a grant. However additional works to ‘top-up’ existing measures are eligible. In order for the installation of low carbon heating to qualify, the house will also need to have adequate insulation before it is eligible for a grant.
What are the secondary saving measures?
Providing the energy saving home improvements include at least one measure from the primary category, homeowners and landlords will also be able to claim for a grant for secondary measures which include:
- Heating controls
- Hot water tank thermostats and insulation
- Double/ triple glazingn- only when replacing single glazing
- Energy efficient doors- only where replacing single glazed or solid doors installed before 2002
- Draught proofing
Grants for secondary measures will be capped at the same amount provided in relation to the primary measures.
What is the potential impact of the Green Homes Grant?
Not only does the government claim the Green Homes Grant will make over 60,000 homes across the country more energy efficient, but it will support over 100,000 jobs.
To take part in the scheme you must be TrustMark registered, and to install the low low carbon heating measures you must also be MCS accredited. Many tradespeople currently aren’t registered with TrustMark and could be missing out on these lucrative renewable energy jobs. Accreditation takes as little as five working days, as long as you already have a membership with a recognised trade body, such as an MCS accreditation.
Simon Ayers, chief executive of TrustMark notes: “The construction and energy industries will play a vital role in the delivery of low-carbon homes, providing healthier and more comfortable living conditions.”
Households will be able to find accredited tradespeople using the Simple Energy Advice (SEA) website, but only work completed by approved and accredited installers will be commissioned.
How can City Plumbing support you?
We’re proud to announce that we are an accredited and trusted supplier for the Green Homes Grant. What’s more, our dedicated in-house team of design and estimating experts can specify and design the appropriate products for your energy saving home improvement jobs, helping you to increase your sales.
We offer:
- Impartial system advice
- Indemnified designs
- Fast quotation turnaround
- Complete project solutions
- National logistic availability
"We’re here to support you, which is why we are delighted to extend an invitation to our webinar. Designed to guide you through the scheme, our FREE 30-minute webinar will be lead by Steve Alldritt, head of the Energy Efficiency Sales and Design Team. Not only will we delve deeper into the Green Homes Grant, but we’ll showcase the range of products that are applicable to the scheme.
To save your seat, all you have to do is register! Don’t forget to share it with your friends and colleagues, and together we can help the UK reach net zero.
Other articles
How to become a renewable energy engineer
03 Mar 2022 ・ 7 mins
Smart Home Heating Controls: A Guide for Installers
03 Mar 2022 ・ 4 mins
Electric or water underfloor heating? An installer's guide
03 Mar 2022 ・ 5 mins
Help & Feedback
Chat With Us
Give Us Feedback