Green Homes Grant Latest

The Green Homes Grant scheme closed to applications on 31 March 2021 and vouchers can no longer be redeemed.

If you’re looking for grants then please read our guide on Energy Grants in 2024 and how to get them. This covers grants that can help you pay your energy bills alongside grants to help you make home improvements to make your home more energy efficient.

Energy Grants in 2024 > Find Out More

What was the Green Homes Grant?

Homeowners could claim vouchers of up to £5,000 for energy-saving home improvements, with the poorest getting up to £10,000.

As part of a £1.5 billion Green Homes Grant announced for England, eligible homeowners could use the vouchers to pay for environmentally friendly improvements.

The scheme ended on 31st March 2021, the government said because there was a lack of consumer demand.

We do not agree. There has been an incredible amount of interest in the scheme, as you can see from the comments below. But there are teething problems with administrative delays in issuing of the vouchers and a lack of registered installers. These difficulties are not insurmountable and could be expected with any major launch but this should not be an excuse to withdraw the funding.

How did the vouchers work?

Restrictions mean that energy efficiency measures permitted under the scheme were divided into two categories: “primary” and “secondary”.

In order to qualify for funding to cover secondary measures, home owners must first carry out one of the primary measures.

And, the amount of money offered by the government for secondary measures is capped at the amount the home owner claimed for primary improvements. So if you receive £1,000 towards primary upgrades, your grant for any secondary measures will be capped at £1,000.

How much could you get?

The government provided a voucher that covered two-thirds of the cost of qualifying works to your home. The maximum value of the voucher is £5,000.

If you were on a low income and received certain benefits, you could receive a voucher covering all of the cost of the improvements up to £10,000.

The installer would request and receive payment from the government for the costs covered by the voucher.

When could you get works done under the scheme?

You had to redeem the voucher and ensure improvements were completed by 31 March 2022.

Vouchers under the scheme were valid for three months after they are issued. But you could ask for an extension if you can’t use your voucher in time for any reason outside your control.

What energy efficiency measures were covered by the Green Homes Grant?

The list of primary measures were set out as:

Insulation

• Solid wall insulation
• Cavity wall insulation
• Under-floor insulation
• Loft insulation
• Flat roof insulation
• Room in a roof insulation
• Park home insulation

Low carbon heat (where the home is suitably insulated)

• Air source heat pump
• Ground source heat pump
• Solar thermal
• Biomass pellet boilers

So long as you get at least one of these primary measures in your package of works, households would have also been able to install secondary measures.

The list of secondary measures included:

Windows and Doors

• Draught proofing
• Double/triple glazing (where replacing single glazing)
• Secondary glazing (in addition to single glazing)
• Energy efficient replacement doors

Heating controls and insulation

• Hot-water tank thermostats
• Hot water tank insulation
• Heating controls (Smart heating controls, zone controls, intelligent delayed start thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves)

What home improvements should I do?

The first place to start is understanding whether your home is in need of any of the primary measures.

Air source heat pumps and biomass pellet boilers are no doubt improvements most households will not have heard of, let alone understand, so these projects will need to be thoroughly researched first.

Cavity and solid wall insulation can make a significant difference to the energy efficiency and comfort of your home.  We expect these will be popular projects to undertake, alongside loft and other insulations, to stop heat leaking from your home.

Once you have identified at least 1 primary measure, your voucher can be used to help contribute to the cost of a secondary measure. Replacing single glazing or getting secondary glazing will make the most difference if you don’t already have double glazing. Please note you can’t upgrade existing double glazing under the scheme. And you can’t use the voucher to update existing insulation in your home.

And remember, the amount you get towards the cost of secondary measures cannot exceed the amount you get for primary measures.

Use the Simple Energy Advice (SEA) website to get more details and check what energy efficiency or low carbon heat improvements can be made to your home.

How do I find a tradesperson and start work?

Use the Simple Energy Advice (SEA) website to check your eligibility and find accredited tradespeople or businesses in your area that are able to undertake the work and obtain quotes from them.

You will need to have the works done by a tradesperson registered with TrustMark or Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), who are accredited to take part in the Green Homes Grant voucher scheme.

You should get at least 3 quotes to make sure you are getting the best value for money. Installers should not charge for a quote.

Speak to the 3 different installers to see what home improvements they would recommend.

Once you have decided what quote to go with and the works are agreed with your chosen installer, you (not the installer) apply for the vouchers on the government website.

With most good tradespeople booked-up well in advance, we’d suggest getting on with getting quotes as soon as possible.

Watch out for scammers

You can’t necessarily use your local builder to install your chosen works under the Green Homes Grant scheme. You need to use firms registered with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) or Trustmark.

Within days of the government scheme being announced, homeowners started to receive scam emails and phone calls. Do not respond to unsolicited emails and calls about the scheme.

Lower bills, lower emissions

The government said if a homeowner of a semi-detached or end-terrace installed cavity wall and floor insulation, costing around £4,000, the homeowner would pay just £1,320 – with the government paying £2,680. Doing so could save the owner over £200 annually on their bills and reduce their carbon footprint by cutting 700 kg of CO2 a year from their home alone.

The scheme aims to upgrade over 600,000 homes across England.

Better insulation could save some people £600 a year on energy bills.

The scheme is currently available until March 2022.

Related Articles

Energy grants in 2024 and how to get them

How to make your home more energy efficient

Energy bills help – what’s available and how to access it

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