Householders in England and Wales will soon be able to apply for up to £7,600 back on energy efficiency improvements to their homes as part of an update to the government’s Green Deal programme.
From this June, residential property owners can take control of their energy bills by introducing efficiency measures such as solid wall insulation and new heating systems and apply for money back on the contributions they make, as part of the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund.
Energy efficiency measures are not only kinder to the environment but will also save on bills. Solid wall insulation in a three-bed house will save around £270 off the average annual bill, the government estimates.
The new fund was announced by energy and climate change secretary Ed Davey, following the introduction of the main Green Deal scheme which allows householders to have energy efficiency measures fitted with certified installers and to pay for the improvements over time through energy bills.
The selling point was that, even with the loan repayments added to your bills, they will total less than before the efficiency measures were installed.
However, the uptake of the scheme has not been as abundant as was expected. The new Home Improvement Fund is the latest effort to bolster the Green Deal programme.
Commenting on the update, Ann Robinson, director of consumer policy at uSwitch.com, says: “The first step in reducing the size of energy bills is to cut back on the amount we use – so consumers should welcome this news.
“The new incentive scheme is a simpler way for people to engage in energy efficiency, and funds are now more accessible as an Energy Performance Certificate up to two years old can be used rather than having to get a Green Deal assessment.
“This scheme is available from June if you live in England and Wales, so there’s no excuse not to start thinking straight away about how you could make your home more energy efficient. It’s really important to get people using less energy and this is a great incentive to do this.”
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