The number of applications for the government’s Green Homes Grant scheme has topped 20,000 within three weeks of its launch, the energy minister has revealed.
Responding to a written question last week from shadow housing minister Thangam Debbonaire about progress on the £2 billion voucher scheme, Kwasi Kwarteng replied that 20,903 applications for grants had been received by 20 October.
This was up from the 17,218 applications that had been received six days earlier on the 14th, according to a previous answer.
Kwarteng told Labour’s Debbonaire that the volume of applications submitted reflected the “high levels of consumer interest there are in the scheme”.
All applications must be accompanied by a quote for the work from a TrustMark-registered tradesperson
However, the scheme has been beset by teething troubles during its first few weeks, with many homeowners complaining that they have been unable to find an accredited installer to carry out the work.
Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, branded the scheme as a “flop” last week after a Twitter poll conducted by the financial website found that just one in six would-be applicants for a voucher had found an installer.
Concerns that the scheme’s timescale is too tight have prompted calls, including by Eon UK chief executive Michael Lewis at Utility Week’s Building Back Better conference last week, to extend the deadline for carrying out GHG work from its current date of 31 March 2021.
In response to a separate question, Kwarteng wrote that the government is working “closely” with the industry to ensure there are enough installers to meet demand for the GHG scheme and has changed the way its Simple Energy Advice (SEA) website displays installers so that consumers can find more registered tradespeople who can carry out work in their area.
According to the reply, the government is also working with TrustMark, scheme providers and certification bodies to support installers to get certified as quickly as possible, including streamlining the accreditation processes “where possible”.
Under the GHG scheme, most householders will be able to secure up to £5,000 in grants towards two thirds of the cost of installing energy efficiency and low carbon heating measures. A maximum of £10,000 of free upgrades will be available for poorer households.
The guidance specifies that in order to qualify for grants, households will need to install at least one “primary measure”, which include insulation, heat pumps or solar thermal devices.
If they fit one of these, households will also be eligible for further energy saving measures, like double or triple replacement glazing, energy efficient doors and smart heating controls.