SIG are proud to support the government backed Green Homes Grant scheme

WHAT IS THE GREEN HOMES GRANT?

Launched at the end of September, the Green Homes Grant is a scheme where the UK Government have pledged £2 billion to the initiative to help meet our net carbon zero targets, allowing for 600,000 homes across England to benefit from this non-repayable grant.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR HOMEOWNERS?

Under the scheme the Government is to provide vouchers to homeowners and landlords worth up to £5,000 or £10,000 for low income households, to help cover the cost of making very specific energy efficient improvements to the home. Improvements could include insulating the home to reduce energy use or installing low-carbon heating to lower the amount of carbon dioxide a home produces.

WHAT CAN THE VOUCHER BE USED FOR?

The voucher must be used to install, what the scheme calls at least one ‘primary measure’ which can be an ‘insulation’ measure and/or a ‘low carbon heating’ measure. If you install at least one primary measure, the voucher can also be used to help cover the cost of any secondary measure.

WHAT COMES UNDER PRIMARY AND SECONDARY MEASURES?


PRIMARY MEASURES

Insulation Measures

  • Solid wall insulation (internal or external); cavity wall insulation
  • Under-floor insulation (solid floor, suspended floor)
  • Loft insulation; flat roof insulation; pitched roof insulation; room in roof insulation
  • Insulating a park home

Low carbon heat measures

  • Air or ground source heat pump
  • Solar thermal (liquid filled flat plate or evacuated tube collector)
  • Biomass boiler
  • Hybrid heat pump

SECONDARY MEASURES

Windows and doors

  • Draught proofing
  • Double or triple glazing (where replacing single glazing)
  • Secondary glazing (in addition to single glazing)
  • Energy efficient replacement doors (replacing single glazed or solid doors installed before 2002)

Heating controls and insulation

  • Hot water tank thermostat
  • Hot water tank insulation
  • Heating controls (such as, appliance thermostats, smart heating controls, zone controls, intelligent delayed start thermostat, thermostatic radiator valves)

ARE THERE ANY RESTRICTIONS?

  • The amount you get towards the cost of secondary measures cannot exceed the amount you get for primary measures, and you will only be able to redeem vouchers for secondary measures once you have installed a primary measure and redeemed the vouchers for that measure.
  • The vouchers cannot be used to replace insulation already installed in the home, but it can be used to ‘top up’ existing measures and it is not applicable for new build homes.
  • The scheme however not only covers the cost of material and labour it also covers architectural drawings, planning application fees, scaffolding and waste removal and passive ventilation etc. So, homeowners need to check out the detail before they gain quotations and apply for the vouchers.

HOW DO YOU APPLY FOR THE GREEN HOMES GRANT?

To apply for the green homes grant scheme, homeowners and landlords need to follow these 4 steps…

1. Check your eligibility
2. Check what energy efficiency or low carbon heat improvements may be suitable for your home
3. Find certified installers in your area that are able to carry out the work
4. Apply for the voucher

WANT MORE INFORMATION?

For full details on how homeowners can benefit from the Green Homes Grant scheme, please visit the GHG advice page on the Simple Energy Advice website here

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR INSTALLERS?

From a contractor’s perspective, the scheme promotes new business.

Homeowners will be able to search approved and accredited local businesses or trades people to undertake the work and obtain quotations during the application process on the Simple Energy Advice Website.

WHAT DO INSTALLERS NEED TO KNOW?

Installers MUST ensure that they are listed as an accredited local business to get work from this new scheme and they must be TrustMark approved or MCS (if installing heating systems) registered. They must also meet publicly available specification standards to install energy efficiency measures. All work under the Green Homes Grant scheme must be completed to PAS 2030:2017. But there is no restriction of where an installer buys their materials to qualify for the scheme.

For full details on how to carry out work under the Green Homes Grant scheme if you are a tradesperson or business, please visit the government advice page:


HOW TO BECOME AN APPROVED INSTALLER

Already meet the criteria?

Businesses who are already PAS 2030 or MCS certified and are TrustMark registered, your details will appear on the Simple Energy Advice website and you will be able to offer your services to eligible Customers.

How to become certified

New Businesses wishing to become part of the GHGS must have PAS 2030 or MCS certification.

You can find out more about these certifications from your relevant certification body.

How to become TrustMark registered

Once certified, installers must then become a TrustMark Registered business for their details to appear on the Simple Energy Advice website.

You can do this on the TrustMark website here


WHAT MATERIALS DO I NEED TO BUY?

All work under the Green Homes Grant scheme must be completed to PAS 2030:2017.

By working in partnership with leading insulation manufacturers, SIG can supply a wide range of approved products to support the scheme.

For more information on which products are available, please contact your local branch.

Did you know that at SIG we have a dedicated team of experts in cavity wall insulation?

Focused on overseeing and managing the supply of SIG’s branded insulation systems, SIG Retrofit has been helping installing companies become accredited to install our BBA (British Board of Agrément) approved systems since 2010.

They are on hand to provide support from the supply of systems to training, approval, technical support and product know-how, whilst supporting a network of approved installers in the installation of CWI into the retrofit market.