The chaos surrounding the government’s Green Homes Grant, which was to have helped thousands of landlords and owner occupiers, appears to be getting worse.
The Times has been told the scheme has so far issued only 22,165 grants out of a target 600,000 and is likely to end imminently - some time in March.
It was launched in September and Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently pledged to extend it, rather than scrap it, as part of his 10 point plan to tackle climate change.
In recent days Meera Chindooroy, deputy policy director for the National Residential Landlords Association, said: “Our survey data shows that 43 per cent of landlords are interested in applying for a grant and there is clear appeal in the potential of the scheme to ensure the energy efficiency improvements we all want to see.”
However, just last week the all-party Environmental Audit Select Committee slammed the government for failing to deliver to landlords and owners, saying: “The Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme opened for applications on 30th September. In November 2020 we conducted a survey to find out how easy it had been for home improvers to access.
“In total, 510 people responded to the survey. Alarmingly, 86 per cent of those responding to the survey had had a poor experience with the process, although just over half applying had found the Green Homes Grant eligibility calculator helpful.
“The eligibility criteria, however, prevented many from being able to access vouchers for the measures they required: homeowners must install primary measures before receiving the same funding towards secondary measures.”
And it goes on to say: “Delivery has been poor for consumers and has led to perverse consequences for installers, and the scheme remains too short-term to have any prospect of achieving its initial targets. We recommend that the Green Homes Grant scheme be urgently overhauled and extended to provide greater long-term stimulus to the domestic energy efficiency sector.”
No formal announcement has yet been made regarding the future of the scheme but The Times says it has been informed of its upcoming closure by a government source.
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Waste of money. Local reputable tradesmen don't need to pay to get referrals and cowboys thrive on customers who think they're getting something for nothing.
The last green deal was a total failure and I don't expect this scheme to be any better.
One Scottish council was recently giving free boilers and insulation to semi detached and detached houses but not to terraced houses or flats, as the "energy saving benefits" were deemed to be less in flats and terraced houses.
Affordability didn't come into it and prudent owners and landlords who had already invested in greater energy efficiency got nothing as there was no "incremental benefit" and "scarce public funds" had to go where the benefits were greatest. Quotes are from a Council worker - sorry, Council official.
I am one of the LLs who has got vouchers - 2 for external wall insulation. My installer won't be doing them until the summer and if the scheme ends early I won't be doing them at all.
The vouchers only last 3 months (they can be renewed) but EWI can't be done in the winter so this is very worrying news.
I applied for a grant for an ASHP in September, as soon as the scheme opened. Not had anything back so it'll be a new boiler going in now!
The NINJA generation don’t care about CCJs
no income no job and no assets
the council will house them and pay them them enough to keep smoking, drinking, eating and watching Netflix
Do you actually read what topic is being discussed?
welfarism in its many guises is destroying the west
Another load of old crap
The green homes grant is a great system hog-tied by poor design and worse implementation. We need to improve the insulation of our homes and the changes in MEES to EPR C from 2025 is part of that.
Government's own calculation is that it will cost an AVERAGE of £4,800 per property to hit this level - so it will be much higher for many owners of older houses with solid walls. The legislation requires LL to spend up to £10k in upgrades per house to try and achieve this.
The MEES are a perverse requirement; LL pay but tenants get the benefits through lower heating bills. The GHG would have made a massive difference to the ability of LL to pay for this, and also to justify to LL why they should make the investment, with government picking up 66% of the bill.
The loss of the GHG will put back the retrofit insulation business by many years as it removes the incentive for LL to make the investment and discourages fitters to get involved in yet another failed insulation scheme. So come on Boris - you must do better!
Most such schemes are good in theory but never work in real life , just like those who dream them up!
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