{"id":2478,"date":"2021-02-15T11:34:24","date_gmt":"2021-02-15T11:34:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/backup.act.stringerhj.co.uk\/oldsite\/?p=2478"},"modified":"2021-02-15T11:34:26","modified_gmt":"2021-02-15T11:34:26","slug":"green-homes-grant-not-fit-for-purpose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/backup.act.stringerhj.co.uk\/oldsite\/index.php\/2021\/02\/15\/green-homes-grant-not-fit-for-purpose\/","title":{"rendered":"Green homes grant not fit for purpose"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The green homes grant scheme caught my attention as soon as it was launched in September 2020. It looked worth investigating, but my attempt to use it soon came up against obstacles. It proved difficult to find either independent advice on the most important and appropriate improvements to my home, or an installer authorised to do whatever work was needed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hearing that there are now authorised installers and assessors in the area, I have just tried to re-engage with the scheme. It proved frustrating.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The grant covers up to two-thirds of the cost of energy efficiency improvements you make to your home, to a maximum of \u00a35,000 (or 100% of the cost up to \u00a310,000 if you qualify for the low income support scheme).\u00a0So it’s financially attractive (although recent stories in the Guardian<\/a> show there are long delays in giving out grants and money is being withdrawn).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The biggest weakness in the scheme, and why I consider it not fit for purpose, is that eligibility is not dependent on any sort of whole house assessment. Moreover, it enables, if not encourages, you to fit a new more energy efficient source of heating, at a cost of maybe \u00a310,000, when your home insulation remains inadequate or even non-existent, which is like putting new taps on a bath without a plug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, if you know which of the eligible improvements your home needs, the scheme could work for you. It is currently set to run until 31st March 2022. Here\u2019s how it went for me.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The grant scheme\u2019s website<\/a> suggests you seek advice on the improvements to make. However, when you follow the link to check your eligibility you are sent to the Simple Energy Advice (SEA) website to check out the sort of improvements\u00a0 that might be suitable, based partly on the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) registered for your property.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After several pages of questions and, in my case increasing confusion, you are presented with a \u201cNow build your plan\u201d page with suggested improvements and the likely costs. You select the improvements that take your fancy and are then taken to a \u201cMake your plan\u201d page enabling you to download the details to present to your installer(s).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether I\u2019m just unlucky, or too picky, this process didn\u2019t work for me. For example, you are asked what type of roof insulation you have, either pitched or flat roof, insulated or not insulated, or don\u2019t know. I have both types of roof but as the pitched roof covers the majority of the home and is insulated I chose that option. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My EPC tells me that, at 100mm, my insulation is insufficient and that it should be increased to 270mm, but by selecting the insulated option, roof insulation doesn\u2019t appear on my plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, with the wall insulation question, you are asked if you have cavity or solid walls, insulated or not insulated or don\u2019t know. I have a couple of solid walls but the majority are cavity, but the EPC is silent on whether or not they are insulated and so I chose \u201cdon\u2019t know\u201d. This only put cavity wall insulation into my plan, with no mention of solid wall insulation, but it\u2019s pointless having it in the plan as I don\u2019t know if I need it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My hopes for floor insulation were also soon dashed. Options for answers to \u201cWhat sort of floor insulation do you have?\u201d were: don\u2019t know, solid floor, suspended floor or none. I have a suspended floor with no insulation, so selected \u201cnone\u201d but, mysteriously, was only  presented with solid floor insulation in my plan, at a cost of \u00a35,000. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, but not exhaustively, the plan suggested a new condensing boiler (when I said I already had one) and upgrading my double glazing, neither of which qualify for the grant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If and when you are lucky enough to be happy with your plan, you are directed to the SEA site to find an authorised installer for each of the 30 eligible improvements. In other words, you have to choose a home improvement measure before being shown appropriate installers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It doesn\u2019t, however, offer you authorised advisors to help you decide what sort of insulation or heating improvement you need and in what order. For this I referred to the Trustmark website, where all authorised people are registered, and where you can search in your area for retrofit assessors or coordinators under standard PAS 2035.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, in my case, \u201cThe Plan\u201d is to contact one of these to help work out what is best for my home and the planet, regardless of whether the green homes grant should play a part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The green homes grant scheme caught my attention as soon as it was launched in September 2020. It looked worth investigating, but my attempt to use it soon came up against obstacles. It proved difficult to find either independent advice on the most important and appropriate improvements to my home, or an installer authorised to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[56,65],"tags":[68,57],"class_list":["post-2478","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-build-environment","category-public-engagement","tag-green-homes-grant","tag-retrofit"],"yoast_head":"\nGreen homes grant not fit for purpose - Action on Climate in Teignbridge (ACT)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/backup.act.stringerhj.co.uk\/oldsite\/index.php\/2021\/02\/15\/green-homes-grant-not-fit-for-purpose\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Green homes grant not fit for purpose - Action on Climate in Teignbridge (ACT)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The green homes grant scheme caught my attention as soon as it was launched in September 2020. 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