You may remember that back in 2013, the Green Deal was introduced. This was a governmentally backed scheme, which aimed to reduce carbon emissions for a greener planet, by encouraging households to invest in new and improved energy efficient measures in their homes.
This would, of course, come with the added benefit of decreasing energy bills for the people who went ahead with the scheme.
What did the Green Deal originally offer households?
The Green Deal offered to pay for homeowners’ energy efficient measures, which would then be paid back over 10-25 years. The repayments would be added on to electricity bills. Because the repayments would be less than the energy savings, the idea was that a household’s monthly costs wouldn’t increase. And whether opting for a new boiler or a quality glazing upgrade in Surrey, the work was to be done through a registered Green Deal provider.
People had reservations about the scheme for a few reasons
Like most new initiatives, there were a few issues with the Green Deal that deterred consumers from making the investment. In fact, only 1% of households assessed for the Green Deal took the plunge. This was due to…
- The assessment fee of £120, which would establish which measures could be installed.
- Interest rates on the Green Deal plans appearing too high.
- Concerns that the relatively new scheme would negatively affect the value of a home on the property market.
The government has introduced changes to the scheme to combat ambivalence
To allay consumers’ worries, the government has introduced some changes to the Green Deal.
There has been a £125 million cashback scheme. From December, it increased the pay-outs on offer, and from 1 June, the grants became even more generous under the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund for homes in England and wales.
Homes will now be able to claim up to £1000 to install two energy saving improvements, with an additional £100 for the assessment cost. There’s an extra £500 on offer for those who bought their home in the past year, and up to £6000 for households that install solid wall insulation.
Hamilton Windows are a Green Deal-registered provider for glazing in Surrey
If you’re considering the Green Deal for your home, Hamilton Windows can help with all things glazing-related. To have a chat with our friendly team, give us a call today on 020 8390 4855. Alternatively, write to us via our contact form.
