Published: Thursday, 1st October 2020
Residents are being encouraged to take up the government's Green Homes Grant Scheme to help cover the cost of energy improvement measures to their homes.
Grants in the form of vouchers are available up to a value of £5,000 to cover up to two-thirds of the costs of the improvements, or up to £10,000 to cover the full cost for those eligible residents on low incomes.
Homeowners and private or social landlords are eligible as long at the property is situated in England. Landlords are not eligible for the low-income voucher. New build properties with no previous occupants are not included in the scheme.
Vouchers are available from the end of September 2020. Vouchers must be redeemed, and the improvements must be completed, by the 31 March 2021.
Works that the vouchers can be used for include insulation, or if the home is already insulated a low carbon heating solution. All measures are listed on the Simple Energy Advice website: https://www.simpleenergyadvice.org.uk/pages/green-homes-grant. The site shows primary and secondary measures. The vouchers must be redeemed against a primary measure in the first instance and can be used to fund additional secondary measures or to top up existing primary measures to bring them up to the recommended standard.
Using these vouchers to improve energy efficiency in the home, can result in saving on energy bills in the longer term and also reduce the impact of our homes on the climate - by improving energy efficiency, less heating is required which in turn reduces the amount of Carbon Dioxide released.
To apply for a voucher from the end of September 2020, use the Simple Energy Advice website to check eligibility first. Then identify applicable home improvements, and their estimated cost. The site will also provide a list of accredited providers.
Applications for vouchers can be made once measures have been selected and a quote obtained through the Simple Energy Advice survey and accredited providers via the above website.
Cllr Brian Long, Leader of the Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk, and portfolio holder for the environment, said: "Taking advantage of this Government scheme is a great way of helping the whole borough to reduce its impact on the climate. Energy efficient homes require less heating; this means less carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere. For those on low incomes, in eligible properties, 100% of the costs can be met, and for others two thirds of the costs could be met. In both instances savings in the costs of heating will also be a benefit to residents. The scheme opens at the end of the month and work must be completed by the end of March next year, so I would urge people to check their eligibility now."