The Government\u2019s flagship energy efficiency programme, The Green Deal, has shot to popularity in recent weeks. In fact, the uptake of Government loans has been so unprecedented that cuts are already being made, just six weeks after launching. <\/p>\n
Early reports claim that more than 12,000 households have taken advantage of Government vouchers to have energy efficiency measures implemented. According to the stats, \u00a350m worth of cashback has been applied for, with homeowners entitled to \u00a37,600 to install efficiency upgrades. <\/p>\n
With solid wall insulation being the most generous cashback, applicants will now receive a reduced payment of \u00a34,000, down from \u00a36,000. Considering the typical cost of solid wall insulation is over \u00a39,000, homeowners will have to pay up the rest of the cash themselves. <\/p>\n
The Green Deal\u2019s cashback incentive is working on a first-come first-served basis, with a huge \u00a3120m available. This seems to have hit home with householders, who are now keen to save money with energy efficiency measures. Each household is entitled up to \u00a35,600.<\/p>\n
The Green Deal works as a loan against your property. The energy measures are completed with no upfront costs required, with payments taken from the money you start to save on those expensive energy bills. <\/p>\n
The loans do have an interest attached though and can be spread between 10 and 25 years. If you move home, the loan doesn\u2019t stay with you, but rather the property. <\/p>\n
But there are other options to the Green Deal. First of all, for those comfortable with their finances there are credit cards available with 0% interest for the first 24 months. This gives you a chance to pay for your energy improvements in full with no interest attached. But be warned; pay the debt off in the first two years. <\/p>\n
You could also pay for home improvements with your own money. You don\u2019t need to spend thousands of pounds at a time. With wall cavity or loft insulation you can save hundreds of pounds every year, with little financial outlay. In fact, payback could be less than two years. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Government\u2019s flagship energy efficiency programme, The Green Deal, has shot to popularity in recent weeks. In fact, the uptake of Government loans has been … <\/p>\n