Fact File - Funding
| 1. |
My house has a low Energy Performance Certificate rating, can I get a grant? |
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If you are a first-time buyer the government is introducing a new grant scheme if your house has a rating between E and G. See EPC announcement for more information.
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| 2. |
Can I get a grant for Microgeneration? |
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Soon. A new scheme will be brought into being from May 29th 2007.
Grants will be available for microgeneration technologies including: solar photovoltaic, wind turbines, small scale hydro, solar water heating, heat pumps and bioenergy. The programme will also fund renewable CHP, micro CHP and fuel cells.
For more information go to the Low Carbon Buildings website.
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| 3. |
How much are the grants for? |
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The table below details the grants that are available, up to a maximum of £2,500 per household. It is important to note that you will need to prove that you have:
- insulated the loft
- cavity insulation (if you have cavity walls)
- fitted energy efficient lighting
- installed room thermostats
- Confirmed Planning Permission
You will also be advised to complete a Home Energy Check.
| Technology | Maximum Amount of Grant | | Solar photovoltaics | Maximum of £2,000 per kW of installed capacity, subject to an overall maximum of £2,500 or 50% of the relevant eligible costs, whichever is the lower. | | Wind turbines | Maximum of £1,000 per kW of installed capacity, subject to an overall maximum of £2,500 or 30% of the relevant eligible costs, whichever is the lower. | | Solar thermal hot water | Overall maximum of £400 or 30% of the relevant eligible costs, whichever is the lower. | | Ground/water/air source heat pumps | Overall maximum of £1,200 or 30% of the relevant eligible costs, whichever is the lower. |
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| 4. |
Who gets the grants? |
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Grants are issued on a first come, first served basis. It used to be that an amount of money was made available on a monthly basis. This caused problems of the allocation running out within hours on the first of each month.
The system is about to change: The Chancellor, in his budget, has put an extra £6m into the pot; monthly allocations have ceased, now it will be on a first come, first served basis until the money runs out.
This will mean that allocations will not run out before 10am on the first, but you probably won't find a grant at the end of the tax year.
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| 5. |
Is there a time-limit on the grant? |
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Depending on the type of installation, you have 3, 4 or 6 months to complete the installation:
- Solar Thermal: 3 months
- Solar PV and Wind: 4 months
- Ground-Source Heat and Biomass: 6 months
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| 6. |
I'm on benefits, are there grants for making my home more energy efficient? |
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If you are on income support or disability-related benefits there are grants up to £2,700 for improvements covering: loft insulation; cavity wall insulation; draught proofing; hot water tank insulation; heating systems; 2 energy efficient light bulbs.
A Home Energy Adviser will come to assess how much work needs to be done. See Direct.gov.uk for more information.
In England the scheme is known as Warm Front, in Northern Ireland it is Warm Homes, in Scotland Warm Deal and in Wales it is the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme.
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| 7. |
Are there any other grants for improving home efficiency? |
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All the large Energy providers are obliged to help achieve targets for improving home efficiency. You don't even need to be a customer. So contact your local supplier for more information.
Local Authorities are also keen to hit these targets, it is worth seeing what your local authority is doing to help. |
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