- The Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery Scheme, managed by the GMCA, provides grants of up to £10,000 for energy efficiency improvements for low-income households
- The successful GMCA bid to continue the scheme means that it will run at least until September
- £5.6m has been awarded by Government for the scheme, bringing total investment to £10.3m
- The funding will cover a further 800 households across the city-region
LOCAL GRANTS for household energy efficiency improvements worth up to £10,000 will be available until September, following a successful application for funding to continue the scheme to help residents save on energy bills and cut emissions.
The Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery Scheme was launched in November 2020, offering grants for residents to put towards the cost of installing insulation, including external wall, loft and cavity wall insulation, and low carbon heating systems, for example an air source heat pump.
In addition to these installations, households could be eligible for further measures including new doors and windows to replace single glazed windows and smart heating controls.
To date, more than 500 households have been approved to receive improvements, with installations set to begin later this month. The additional £5.6m funding secured as a result of the GMCA competitive bid will cover a further 821 homes in Greater Manchester, with the majority being homes for social rent.
The GMCA has been working with energy provider E.ON to deliver the scheme across the city-region, although residents do not need to be E.ON customers to apply.
To be eligible for the grant of up to £10,000, applicants should have a gross annual household income of less than £30,000 and be living in homes with a low energy efficiency rating (EPC band E, F or G).
The continuation of the scheme comes at a time when energy prices are set to rise for millions of households in April, with price caps being raised by market regulator Ofgem.
Cllr Andrew Western, GMCA Lead for the Green City-Region, said: “Retrofitting is a major tool at our disposal in the effort to tackle fuel poverty, create new skills and jobs, and decarbonise our city-region, so it’s great news that we’ve been able to continue this scheme through to September.
“We’re acutely aware that this remains a challenging time for many people. These kinds of measures can not only cut the cost of energy bills but also improve the quality of our homes, making them better and more economical in the long run. A Green Homes Grant could make a real difference in so many ways, so I would encourage everyone who is eligible to take advantage of this very positive initiative.”
Nigel Dewbery, Director of Residential Solutions at E.ON, said: “Improving the energy efficiency of homes across the UK is key to meeting the nation’s net-zero targets, and can dramatically improve people’s living conditions, by helping to increase their comfort and reduce their energy bills.
“We’re delighted to be bringing these benefits to households across Greater Manchester as we continue to work with GMCA to install energy efficiency measures, such as insulation, solar panels or air source heat pumps, in the homes of eligible residents.”
Applicants who qualify for the scheme will receive a home survey to determine which improvements are suitable for their homes, which would then be installed by a TrustMark-registered contractor. All surveys and installations will be carried out in full accordance with Public Health England guidelines to protect the health and safety of both residents and staff.
For more information or to express an interest, call E.ON’s Green Homes Grant team on 0333 202 4820, e-mail greenhomesgrant@eonenergy.com, or visit www.eonenergy.com/greenhomesgrant.
