News

A new round of the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF) will open for applications at 9am on Wednesday 10th December.

Up to £5,600 will be available to households in England and Wales to help with the cost of installing energy saving measures such as solid wall insulation, double glazing, boilers, cavity wall insulation and floor insulation. Domestic energy customers can now receive:

• up to £4000 for installing solid wall insulation (note that this has dropped from £6000 in the first round);
• up to £1000 for installing two measures from an approved list;
• up to £100 refunded for their Green Deal Assessment;
• up to £500 more if applying within 12 months of buying a new home.

Up to £30 million in vouchers will be available and details of further releases will be announced on a quarterly basis with the next release expected in February 2015. The £30 million will be split into two categories:

• Up to £24 million for solid wall insulation;
• Up to £6 million for two measures from a list of home improvements available under the scheme.

Once the funding under each category has been committed, no more applications will be taken for that category – though applications will still be taken for the other category if funds are still available.

Making an Application

To complete the two-stage application process, householders will need:

• A Green Deal Advice Report (GDAR) or Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) that is less than two years old
• A quote from a GDHIF registered installer or provider for work specified on the GDAR or EPC and included on the list of GDHIF approved measures
• Proof of property ownership (for landlords/undertakings only)

Householders are encouraged to get more than one quote, particularly when they are having expensive work done, to make sure they are getting the best deal available.

Funds are Limited

Funds are limited and DECC may vary the terms of the scheme (including the incentive rates) or suspend or close the scheme, with immediate effect, without notice and at any time as happened earlier this year.

More information about how to apply to the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund.

73% of people want world leaders to agree a global deal and 66% think action must happen now, according to a new Populus survey. The survey reveals an appetite for action on climate change by the UK public, with only 20% agreeing that it can wait a few years. But the survey also showed that just 40% of people recognise the potential impact of climate change on their lifestyle.

So, as the recent IPCC Synthesis report shows, the science is clear, but how will climate change impact what we do day-to-day, from a morning cup of coffee to the car we drive and the home we live in? DECC is teaming up with a huge range of organisations and individuals, such as the UN, Microsoft and the Natural History Museum to bring the issue to life.

On the 25th of November, a huge Twitter event was held about the impact of climate change and the actions that can be taken. The 10-hour global event was broken down into hourly slots, one after another, and each themed around a different subject such as health, cities and sport. There was a different expert for each session who responded to questions – submitted via Twitter – about how climate change will impact the featured subject matter or the action that can be taken.

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey said: “We are at a global turning point – never before have so many countries made clear their determination to act to tackle climate change. Those governments are backed by a groundswell of people who want to see action in their own countries and around the world."

Get involved using the hashtag #BackClimateAction and follow @DECCgovuk.