The Government’s Green Deal initiative has changed again, as the cash-back scheme has been closed after “overwhelming popular demand”. There was a £120 million budget in the kitty for the cash-back scheme, with a warning that it’d be provided on a first-come first-served basis.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change have said the closure of the scheme can be attributed to a surge in applications. This has caused the full budget to be used up.
The Green Deal, a scheme introduced in 2013 to help homeowners improve the energy efficiency of their property, has been on a rocky road ever since its inception last year. Initially the Government struggled to get much interest from the public, with interest rates and confusion on how the scheme worked being major factors in its unpopularity.
The launch of the cashback scheme was intended to trigger a resurgence in support and it did exactly as intended, with homeowners looking to replacement boilers, insulation and even renewable energy, as up to £6,000 was offered off of the original price.
Energy Minister Amber Rudd said: “The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund is a world first, and in a short space of time it has proved extremely popular. We were always clear there was a budget which is why we encouraged people to act quickly. As a result, thousands more families will now benefit from Government help to have warmer homes which use less energy.”
Even though the cashback have expired, the Green Deal remains in operation and you can still have energy measures implemented in your home with no upfront payments. Rather than pay the full whack, you will only pay back the money you save on energy bills each month. There is an interest attached though, with grants available up to £10,000.
If you don’t want to go down this path though, you could easily benefit by paying for energy efficiency measures with your own money. You won’t have to break the bank either, as basic insulation would only set you back a few hundred pounds.
From wall cavity and loft insulation, to double glazing and solar panels, take control of your energy bills by installing some excellent energy efficiency measures today.