Major change to scheme offering £7,500 free cash for home improvement – are you now eligible?
HOUSEHOLDS could save thousands of pounds after the Government made a major change to a home improvement scheme.
Ministers have updated the eligibility criteria for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme which means it might cost you less to apply.
The scheme offers households grants to install heat pumps in their homes, which helps the environment and can save you money on your energy bills.
Previously, households needed to have loft or cavity wall insulation installed in their property to be eligible for the scheme.
But the Government recently changed the qualifying criteria which means it’s now not mandatory.
The Government has said the change to the scheme could save households around £2,500 in total.
Claire Coutinho, secretary Energy Security and Net Zero, previously added it would make “heat pumps even cheaper and easier to install.”
What is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and who is eligible?
Under the Boiler Upgrade scheme, you can get a grant worth up to £7,500 to replace a fossil fuel heating system.
You can get £7,500 towards the cost of installing an air source heat pump and £5,000 towards a biomass boiler.
Those installing a ground source heat pump, including water source heat pumps, can get £7,500 grants.
But there’s eligibility criteria you need to hit. You must:
- live in England or Wales
- own the property you’re applying for
- be using the grant money to replace a fossil fuel heating system (such as oil, gas, electric or liquefied petroleum gas)
- have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
You will still be eligible if you’ve already had funding to make your property more energy efficient, for example if you’ve insulated it.
The specific eligibility criteria if you are applying to install a biomass heat pump varies from ground and air source heat pumps.
You can find out more details by visiting the Government’s website.
How to apply
You can apply for one of the grants by first contacting a MCS certified installer to get a quote.
They should tell you if you are eligible for one of the grants.
You can find a list of MCS-certified installers by going on the msccertified.com website.
Once you’ve agreed a quote with the installer, they will apply for the grant on your behalf.
The value of the grant is then deducted off the cost of installation.
So, for example, if you are applying for an air source heat pump and it costs £12,500 in stall, you would have to pay £5,000.
Are heat pumps worth it?
Heat pumps can help you slash your energy bills, and they’re also more environmentally friendly as they have a small carbon footprint.
Another advantage to them is they tend to have a longer lifespan than gas boilers.
How to save on your energy bills
SWITCHING energy providers can sound like a hassle - but fortunately it's pretty straight forward to change supplier - and save lots of cash.
Shop around – If you’re on an SVT deal you are likely throwing away up to £250 a year. Use a comparion site such as MoneySuperMarket.com, uSwitch or EnergyHelpline.com to see what deals are available to you.
The cheapest deals are usually found online and are fixed deals – meaning you’ll pay a fixed amount usually for 12 months.
Switch – When you’ve found one, all you have to do is contact the new supplier.
It helps to have the following information – which you can find on your bill – to hand to give the new supplier.
- Your postcode
- Name of your existing supplier
- Name of your existing deal and how much you payAn up-to-date meter reading
It will then notify your current supplier and begin the switch.
It should take no longer than three weeks to complete the switch and your supply won’t be interrupted in that time.
But, there can be some pitfalls.
First, the initial up front cost of installing one of the gadgets can set you back thousands of pounds, even if you get help through the government’s Boiler Upgrade scheme.
Air-source heat pumps, in particular, can run less efficiently in the winter too, when the machine has to work harder to produce warm water.
Heat pumps are known for how noisy they can be, although this shouldn’t be too much of an issue if it has been installed in the right place.
Beyond this, because heat pumps operate off electricity, you might find your electricity bill goes up slightly after installing one.
But bear in mind the savings you make on your gas bill can outweigh the rise.
Plus, how much they actually save you depends on how much your current bill is, and how you get your energy.
Plus, depending on which type of heat pump you get, you might have to fit it outside your home.
An air-source heat pump for example will need to transfer air from outside into water for the inside of your home.
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