Green Homes Grant Scheme: Only Use Approved Traders

Green Homes Grant Scheme: Only Use Approved Traders

The Green Homes Grant Scheme is a new initiative to encourage homeowners to invest money in improving the energy efficiency of their property.

The Green Homes Grant is a voucher scheme, and homeowners will need to apply for the vouchers to help cover the cost of energy efficiency improvements to their home, with types of improvement that qualify for the grant split into primary and secondary measures.

Primary measures include loft, wall and floor insulation and low-carbon heating systems (funding is not available for gas or oil heating systems). Full details of the primary and secondary measures covered by the grant and further details on how to apply for a grant are available here: Simple Energy Advice: Green Homes Grant.

The scheme is welcome and homeowners needing to install energy efficiency measures should consider applying for the grant. However, Trading Standards teams are warning people to be vigilant and to protect themselves from rogue traders. In Derbyshire applicants are being encouraged to use accredited traders who know what needs to be done to meet all the criteria.

The following advice has been extracted from the Derbyshire County Council webpage: Applying for a Green Homes Grant, Use an Approved Trader:

As only government approved traders can do the work, residents won’t be able to apply for a grant unless they get a quote from one of them.

To start, residents need to first check their eligibility, see what improvements could be made to their home and then find a list of approved traders to choose by going through the process on the Simple Energy Advice Page here: Green Home Grants Questionnaire:

Only then can they can apply for a voucher.

Residents can get help with their application from the government’s Simple Energy Advice Service tel: 0800 444202.

Note that Derbyshire Trading Standards officers are warning that people must only apply for a grant through the government website and have emphasised that traders cannot do this on behalf of homeowners or ask for any upfront payment.

They are also urging people not to respond to cold calling, either on the phone or at the door.

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