Phase 3 of investment in Green Deal Home Improvement Fund

Today will see the third instalment of funding into the Green deal. With the previous two phases of the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund already assisting thousands of people to install energy saving improvements within their homes, the third release opening is set to be just as popular.

Green deal

The Green Deal scheme aims to encourage people to install insulation or other home improvement measures to cut their energy usage. The policy originally offered loans for homeowners to fund the work but after low take-up ministers began offering cash grants, which have proved hugely popular.

The latest £70 million tranche of funding from the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund giveaway is up for grabs from today (Monday 16 March) with homeowners able to claim up to £5,600 each for work including solid wall insulation, double glazing or a new boiler.

Since its inception, the Green Deal has been plagued with doubt. Whilst many believe that the fund is a good idea, there is an overall feeling that not enough is being done to roll it out en masse and efficiently as possible.

New figures also reveal that so far 324 installers and 43 Green Deal assessors initially registered to carry out assessments or installation work for the scheme have subsequently been stripped of their certification after breaking its code of practice, which is designed by the DECC to ensure they are properly qualified and deal with complaints correctly.

Labour's shadow energy minister, Jonathan Reynolds MP said the Green Deal has raised “serious questions about whether the people who have taken out a Green Deal are being given accurate, complete and honest advice.” In a bid to get to the bottom of the latest information regarding struck off providers, he has called on the Government to urgently explain themselves.

A spokesman for the DECC responded “The vast majority of Green Deal authorised companies provide quality services that help keep homes warm and reduce household energy bills. To help protect consumers they must meet strict criteria and undergo rigorous checks and to uphold these standards we take action against any company which breaches the Code of Practice.”

So far more than 4,700 households have had work done through the original Green Deal loan scheme, while almost 13,000 have had measures through the cash giveaways.

Phase 3 is worth £70m and was released at Midday today. Get it while it’s hot!

Published on 16/03/2015