The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund has been a huge success, with millions being spent on energy saving improvements, particularly solid wall insulation. In the run up to the general election, you can expect some more funding to be released from the GDHIF pot.
What happened to GDHIF Phase 2 in December?
Back in December there was a pot of £30 million released, with 80% allocated for solid wall insulation, and the rest for other measures. The solid wall money went very quickly, and applications were closed after 1 day. The smaller pot of cash for other measures has also been successful, but the applications are still open as of now, so there is still money available.
How has the scheme changed?
The first phase of GDHIF offered up to £6,000 of grant money for solid wall insulation, with a potential contribution of 75% of the total cost of the work. In phase 2 this was reduced to £4,000 and 66%. This is still very generous in the grand scheme of things – and a way to make this affordable for the average person.
What does the scheme look like now?
You can currently get £1,000 for taking out 2 measures from a list of approved installers. This includes: double glazing, secondary glazing, cavity wall insulation, boilers, roof room insulation, floor insulation and waste water heat recovery.
There is a bonus of £500 for applicants who have bought their property in the last 12 months. Plus a £100 refund on the cost of the initial Green Deal Assessment, if you have paid for it.
So you could be looking at £1,600 of grant money towards 2 measures for your home. Not to be sniffed at! The only catch is that many of the measures on the list are pricey.
The solid wall insulation funding is currently not available, but there is more funding becoming available at the end of February / beginning of March. The exact amount of funding and the pot available has not yet been announced, but we expect the funding levels to be similar to the last batch of funding in December.
How to get your GDHIF voucher?
You need a recent EPC or Green Deal Assessment carried out on your property and a suitable quote before you can apply for a voucher, and this can take a week or so to arrange, carry out the survey, and lodge the report and get it back to you. Given the short amount of time the solid wall grant money is likely to be available for, we thoroughly recommend getting your assessment and quote done as soon as possible, prior to the frantic few days the scheme opens for. Remember, many other people have the same idea as you, so assessor companies like ourselves are extremely busy during the GDHIF voucher period. Make sure you don’t lose out and get your assessment and quote ASAP.
Think we missed something? Do you have a different opinion?
Comment below to get your voice heard…
I wanted to find out if I would be entitled to receive the grant as I had a brand new boiler fitted in my house which I bought on 23/05/2014 also the £500 bonus
Thanks
Hi Stanislawa, so you have to have the installation completed by a PAS2030 competent installation company to qualify and you can’t claim retrospectively unfortunately. Also to qualify for the £1,250 you need to do two energy efficient measures form the Government list. For example, windows, floor insulation, cavity wall insulation, waste water heat recovery, etc. £500 bonus is if you have moved into the property in the last 12 months. Hope this is helpful.
We have done so much to make our house efficiently warm but we are left with this gable-end and front wall that is damp and leaching out the heat. Please would you set us in the right direction for getting help with insulation.
Thanks
We have done so much to make our house efficiently warm but we are left with this gable-end and front wall that is damp and leaching out the heat. Please would you set us in the right direction for getting help with insulation.
Thanks