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Green Homes Grant will Barely Make a Dent in Target, According to Analysis

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Analysis has revealed that only 8% of the 600,000-household target will make the switch to renewable energy as part of the government’s green homes grant scheme.

The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit thinktank claims that only 49,000 households will be issued a voucher when the £2bn for the scheme is withdrawn this week.

The chancellor has said that a much smaller £320m will be made available for the green homes grant scheme in 2021-22.

At the current rate, only 124,000 households will receive grants to reduce the carbon footprint of their homes by March 2022 - just a fifth of the 600,000 target.

Boris Johnson promoted green grants for England as part of his 10-point plan for a green recovery.

UK households account for 40% of the country’s emissions, and the government scheme was set up to aid 600,000 households cut their CO2 emissions and energy bills.

Depending on their circumstances, homeowners can apply for vouchers of up to £5,000 or £10,000 to help pay for the installation of new insulation and heating systems.

Analyst at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, Jess Ralston, said: “It’s staggering to see the effects that pulling the green homes grant would have on the number of homes upgraded. It will be hugely disappointing to the hundreds of thousands of families set to miss out.

“The original aims – creating jobs, slashing energy bills and reducing carbon emissions – haven’t yet been met. Cutting support now will damage trust in future schemes without delivering any of these objectives.”

Organisations in the renewable energy industry have written to the government urging them to extend and enhance the green home grants scheme as a means to achieve net zero by 2050.

Chairman of the National Insulation Association, Derek Horrocks, said: “Stable policy is needed to provide the industry with the confidence it needs to invest and adapt to the demands of the net zero transition. Inquiries for insulation and low-carbon heating have been extremely high, in spite of the current circumstances, and companies across the sector have responded and geared up the supply chain to meet demand.

“That’s why we would urge the chancellor not to curtail the green homes grant to ensure that our sector can lead the UK’s economic recovery and meet the government’s net zero ambitions.”

Harry Pererra
Harry Pererra

Harry turns on his experience in journalism and programming to write about the latest news in the world of tech and the environemtn. When he isn’t writing for usave he is working towards his Blue Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and prefers dogs to cats.

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