A third round of Green Deal funding is being made available to households who want to make their home more energy efficient. The government is making a further £70m available to households who want to install solid wall insulation, boilers or double glazing.
Households can claim up to £3,750 for solid wall insulation and £1,250 for two other measures from an approved list. They can also claim a £100 rebate on the cost of assessment of the property.
Before anything can happen, households will need to have had a green deal assessment of their home at a cost of £120 which needs to be completed applying.
They can then apply online for vouchers using a unique code from the report. But demand is expected to be high when it launches on March 16 and experts expect the money to go within a week. The first round, which launched in June last year, was worth £120m and closed early after funding ran out early within 6 weeks, the second round in December worth £24m ran out in just 24 hours and this time round competition for the £70m is expected to be tough after the website crashed and phone lines jammed last time around.
If you secure a voucher, you can then employ a Green Deal registered installer, like SEH BAC, to carry out the work. You’ll have to work out between yourself and the installer how you will pay. You pay with your own money, not the vouchers and then once the work is complete your installer will fill out the vouchers confirming the work has been done, the improvements made and the energy certificate is up to date. These then need to be emailed to Green Deal within six months and an administrator will let you know when your claim will be paid – with the funds being paid direct to you rather than the installer. There are also other options such as the Green Deal finance plan or other finance plans through the company.
With the third round just over a week away on March 16, it is important to get your assessment complete before you apply – allowing you to benefit from this great deal and improve the efficiency of your home.
