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New release of GDHIF announced

Round two of the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF) opens to applications at 9am on Wednesday 10 December, with £30 million in vouchers available.

This latest phase of the GDHIF releases part of a £100 million pot the government has earmarked for energy efficiency measures. The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has promised further releases announced on a quarterly basis, with the next expected in February.

One change to the application process is that householders will now also need a quote from a Green Deal installer or provider for the work.

The £30 million will be split into two categories:

  • up to £24 million for solid wall insulation
  • up to £6 million for two measures from a list of home improvements available under the scheme.

Domestic energy customers can receive:

  • up to £4,000 for installing solid wall insulation
  • up to £1,000 for installing two measures from an approved list
  • up to £100 refunded for their Green Deal Assessment
  • up to £500 more if applying within 12 months of buying a new home.

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey said: “This fund is a big success story for the Green Deal – helping thousands of people improve their homes so that they’re warmer, greener and cheaper to run. The best way people can cut their energy bills, this winter and every winter, is to improve their homes so that they leak less heat and use less energy. That’s why we’ve increased the funding available for the Green Deal to help even more people start saving money sooner.”

Energy and Climate Change Minister Amber Rudd added: “More than three quarters of a million homes have already had energy saving improvements installed as a result of the Energy Company Obligation and Green Deal. It makes sense to go even further to help more families install measures so that they see the benefits of lower bills and a warmer home for years to come.”

Householders will be able to receive GDHIF funding for solid wall insulation and/or any two of the following energy savings improvements:

  • cavity wall insulation
  • condensing mains gas boiler
  • secondary glazing
  • double/triple glazing (replacement single glazing)
  • flat roof insulation
  • replacement warm air unit
  • fan-assisted storage heaters
  • energy efficient replacement doors
  • floor insulation
  • room-in-roof insulation
  • waste water heat recovery.

The list doesn’t include flue gas heat recovery, which DECC announced in the summer was to be axed from the applicable list of measures. The change was due to take effect in August but the scheme closed abruptly in July following a rush for vouchers.

DECC believes the GDHIF will create job opportunities for the energy efficiency sector, pointing out that more than 1,100 Green Deal authorised businesses are currently registered to provide work under the scheme.
More details at www.gov.uk/greendeal

 

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