From June, homeowners in England and Wales will be able to claim up to £7600 from the new Green Deal Home Improvement Fund to cover the costs of energy improvements carried out on their homes.
The latest offering by the government is designed to breathe life into the Green Deal, which was launched in January 2013 and was hailed by ministers as 'transformational', but was subsequently dogged by administrative problems.
Under the new incentive scheme, a £500 payment will be offered for anyone who installs energy efficiency measures within 12 months of moving into a property. They will also get £1,000 for fitting any combination of two measures from a list of twelve improvements, which include installing double glazing, cavity wall insulation, a new boiler, replacement doors and flat roof insulation.
Householders with older homes that have solid walls who undertake the much more expensive process of having solid wall insulation will be able to claim 75% of the cost, up to a maximum of £6,000, from the government.
Ministers and officials also appear to have addressed one of the criticisms of the previous scheme, whereby people had to pay £100-150 for an upfront assessment of their home to see what measures would work best. Up to £100 of the assessment cost will now be refunded after works are undertaken, under the new plans.
Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said, "The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund is another way the Government is making it simpler and cheaper for people to stay warm and improve their homes. I want households across the country to benefit from more energy efficient homes and reduced bills through the Green Deal, and that is what the new home incentive fund will do."
The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund also applies to private or social landlords, who can benefit if they undertake to improve the property and are paying the costs themselves.
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