Warm welcome for £2 billion green grant scheme
An announcement of a £2 billion grant scheme to help residents and landlords pay for green improvements to their home has been welcomed by a Midlands expert.
“This is great news for households, the economy and the environment,” said Ron Fox, of Noreus Ltd on the University of Keele Science and Innovation Park, “as it could save people hundreds of pounds a year on their energy bills, create thousands of jobs nationally and cut our carbon emissions.”
Under the plan announced by the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, home owners will be able to apply for vouchers for double glazing, loft, wall and floor insulation.
The Government will pay up to two thirds of the cost of the work up to £5,000 per household and the full cost up to £10,000 for low income people.
The scheme is part of a £3 billion green investment package unveiled in last week’s Summer Economic Update that could help support around 140,000 green jobs, upgrade more than 650,000 homes and reduce harmful gases into the atmosphere.
The Chancellor said this could save each household up to £300 a year in heating bills and cut annual greenhouse gas emissions by half a megaton, the equivalent to taking 270,000 cars off the road.
Another £1 billion programme will help make public buildings, including schools and hospitals, greener to enable the UK to meet its ambitions of achieving net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. This includes that all homes must be switched to low-carbon heating.
The subsidy scheme will begin in September and last until March 2021, with online applications for recommended energy efficiency measures, along with details of accredited local suppliers.
Once one of these has provided a quote and the work is approved, the voucher is issued.
It could mean, for example, that a home owner of an average three-bedroom home could get double glazed windows (£4,900), loft insulation (£270), cavity walls (£480), and floor (£910) for £6,560. The grant would pay £4,373 and the owner £2,187.
Although Ron said this scheme was a big step forward, he did point out the UK would still way behind Germany, which is investing €40bn (£36bn) in green jobs and energy efficiency, and France, which pledged €15bn to tackle the climate crisis in June.
He added also that he was disappointed that renewable energy, which is vital to achieving net zero emissions, received no new boost and electric vehicles and other green transport measures were not mentioned.
“However,” Ron concluded, “this was still a good opportunity to save money now and insulate your home this autumn to ensure you have a warm and cosy environment before the arrival of the cold winter nights followed by the big energy bills in the New Year.”
For advice on all green energy matters and particularly on insulating your home and renewable energy contact Ron on 01782 756995.
