In a significant move to encourage more households to undertake efficiency measures, the Government’s launch of the scheme offers consumers grants of up to £7,600 for various insulation and heating solutions. The largest single grant is up to £6,000 for solid wall insulation, in effect providing payment of 75% of the cost of internal or external wall insulation for hard-to-treat homes.
There is also £1,000 for a range of less expensive insulation and heating measures, provided that two separate measures are paid for. Homebuyers who install energy-saving measures within the first 12 months of moving into their new home will be also able to claim an additional £500 payment and all consumers benefitting from the grants can receive a further £100 off the cost of a Green Deal Assessment if they have required one for their property.
Mark Weaver, Sector Marketing Director of Retrofit for Saint-Gobain, said: "Following a slow start to the Green Deal Cashback scheme and a disappointing uptake of the Green Deal generally, the Government has listened to industry and responded with a series of attractive financial incentives. This is a significant step in the right direction for retrofitting the UK housing stock, which is one of the poorest in Europe in terms of energy efficiency.
"Consumers can now benefit from cashback on more expensive solutions such as solid wall insulation, as well as less expensive measures such as upgraded glazing and cavity wall insulation. This means that the payback on the sizeable energy saving benefits of these measures is hugely reduced, and this applies to homeowners as well as private landlords and tenants.
"We are pleased that there is now more reason for homeowners to apply for Green Deal help – these new incentives mean a welcome boost for job prospects and business opportunities, benefitting the whole retrofit industry.
"Much more needs to be done to simplify and incentivise the uptake of the Green Deal scheme, and energy efficiency retrofit in general if we are to reduce emissions from the built environment and meet our UK carbon reduction targets. We believe that to meet these targets, a long-term fabric first approach is needed for the Green Deal programme and any other retrofit schemes."
Full details are available at https://www.gov.uk/green-deal-energy-saving-measures/get-an-assessment
For more information on Saint-Gobain, visit www.saint-gobain.co.uk or tweet @SaintGobainUK