DECC building

£100 million boost to secure new phase of GDHIF

A new phase of the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF) has been announced by the government, after it announced an extra £100 million for householder energy efficiency.

The GDHIF was abruptly shut down at the end of July following a rush for vouchers, just a couple of days after the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) had announced changes to the fund, aimed at making homes in England and Wales more energy efficient.

A spokesperson for DECC said the £100 million was completely new funding for energy efficiency, which would be used to launch the GDHIF in November. It’s not yet clear whether the whole amount will be spent on the scheme.

Announcing the new phase, Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey said: “More money means more people can live in warmer, greener homes sooner.

“Green Deal Home Improvement Fund vouchers went like hot cakes earlier in the year and now even more people can cut their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient.”

However, details of rates and measures in the scheme won’t be announced until November. In July, just before the GDHIF closed, many in industry were dismayed that flue gas heat recovery units had been axed from the various measures covered by the scheme.

The Heating and Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC) has given the news a “cautious welcome”, saying it was awaiting details of how the money will be spent and administered.

HHIC director Roger Webb said: “If the government is serious about energy efficiency it must recognise that it is about more than double glazing and insulation – heating is vital. There are still over 12 million inefficient boilers within UK homes and, often, replacing a boiler is a great catalyst for homeowners to install other efficiency measures.

“We would also want the government to consider heating controls, which play a major role in helping to manage the heat generated within a property.”

 

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