Grants and Schemes news from 2022
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- December 2022
UK government confirms voucher delivery for £600 Northern Ireland energy bill support
The UK government has confirmed that around 500,000 Northern Ireland households without direct debits will receive £600 energy bill support as vouchers issued from mid-January 2023.
Government confirms £600 single payment for Northern Ireland households and £200 Alternative Fuel Payment for Great Britain
The government has confirmed a single £600 payment for all Northern Ireland households and a £200 Alternative Fuel Payment for Great Britain homes using fuels such as heating oil, with payments starting in January 2023.
BEIS opens consultation on the design of the ECO+ scheme for 2023 to 2026
BEIS opened a consultation on 6 December 2022 on the design of the ECO+ energy efficiency scheme for 2023 to 2026, a £1bn programme aimed at households outside existing fuel poverty support.
Enhanced Home Energy Scotland support launched
From 2 December 2022 homeowners in Scotland can claim a standalone Home Energy Scotland grant of £7,500 for heat pumps or energy efficiency work, with an extra £1,500 for rural homes.
HES Grant and Loan scheme launched
The Scottish Government launched the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme in December 2022, replacing cashback with a standalone grant of up to £7,500 for clean heating and up to £7,500 for energy efficiency.
BEIS minister confirms £200 Domestic Alternative Fuel Payment timing
A BEIS minister has told MPs the £200 Domestic Alternative Fuel Payment will be paid in the New Year, with most households receiving it through their electricity bills.
Octopus doubles Octo Assist hardship fund to £15m
Octopus Energy has doubled its Octo Assist hardship fund to £15 million, after earlier increases from £5 million to £7 million, as suppliers expand discretionary support for customers.
Renewable Heat Incentive ended
The Renewable Heat Incentive closed in 2022 and was replaced by the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which pays a one-off grant towards the upfront cost of a heat pump in England and Wales.
- November 2022
Citizens Advice responds to ECO+ scheme and Help for Households campaign expansion
Citizens Advice has welcomed extra funding for energy efficiency measures under the ECO+ scheme but says an energy saving campaign must be matched by continued financial support for households in crisis.
Household Support Fund extended to 31 March 2024
The Autumn Statement of 17 November 2022 added £1 billion to the Household Support Fund, extending it in England by twelve months to 31 March 2024.
EPG NI scheme confirmed already in force
Lord Callanan told the Lords Grand Committee on 16 November 2022 that the energy price guarantee Northern Ireland scheme is already in force, as regulations defining domestic supply were considered.
Scottish Government responds to Heat Pump Sector Deal Expert Advisory Group Recommendation 4
The Scottish Government has set out how it will fund heat pump installation in Scotland, citing £1.8 billion for heat and energy efficiency and a £42 million standalone grant scheme.
Scottish Government responds to Recommendation 12 on fabric energy efficiency support
The Scottish Government has confirmed a £15,000 maximum for energy efficiency measures under the Home Energy Scotland Loan and Cashback scheme and committed to replacing cashback with a standalone grant.
Second instalment of Cost of Living Payment paid in November 2022
The second instalment of the GBP 650 Cost of Living Payment, worth GBP 324, was paid automatically to most eligible low-income households in November 2022.
West Midlands awarded more than £1m for Warmer Homes West Midlands programme
The West Midlands Combined Authority has awarded more than £1 million to Act on Energy to expand free energy advice for vulnerable households across the region this winter.
Autumn Statement 2022 allocates £1 billion to Household Support Fund
The Government has said local councils will receive £1 billion for the Household Support Fund, announced in the Autumn Statement 2022, as disability charity Scope reports low awareness of the scheme.
BUS digital service passes Government Digital Standards beta assessment
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme's digital service passed its Government Digital Standards beta assessment in November 2022, letting installers make initial voucher applications online.
Chancellor announces additional £6bn for energy efficiency from 2025
The Chancellor's autumn statement added £6bn for energy efficiency from 2025 to 2028, doubling annual government investment, with a new taskforce to deliver a 15% cut in consumption.
ECO insulation delivery reported stalled after internal government delays
Analysis from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit says insulation delivery under the Energy Company Obligation has stalled, with 18,750 low income households potentially missing measures worth £300 each.
Energy Bills Support Scheme to begin in Northern Ireland
Households in Northern Ireland will start receiving the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme payment from November, the Prime Minister said, months after the equivalent support began in Great Britain.
Energy Bills and the Price CapScotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Scheme consulted on under the name ECO+
The government consulted on the policy proposals that became the Great British Insulation Scheme under the name ECO+ in November 2022, with Ofgem later named as intended administrator.
Winter Heating Payment regulations to be laid with first payments in February 2023
Scottish ministers will lay Winter Heating Payment regulations in November 2022, bringing them into force in January 2023, with the first guaranteed £50 payments to around 400,000 low-income households in February 2023.
- October 2022
£1.2 million support package announced for consumer-facing advice services
The Scottish Government has announced a £1.2 million package of support for consumer-facing advice services, published alongside its 2022 update on progress against the Heat in Buildings Strategy.
Chancellor statement sets end date for energy support schemes
The Chancellor's 17 October statement confirmed the Energy Price Guarantee, Energy Bills Support Scheme and Energy Bill Relief Scheme end in their current form on 31 March 2023, pending a review.
Heat Pump Ready Programme: Stream 1, Phase 2 page first published
The government published guidance for the second phase of its Heat Pump Ready Programme competition, restricted to projects already contracted under phase one, with applications closing on 7 November 2022.
ECO4 Delivery Guidance version 1.0 published
Ofgem published version 1.0 of the ECO4 Delivery Guidance and Measures Table on 11 and 14 October 2022, setting the eligibility, project and evidence rules for the scheme's first year.
Guidance updated with delivery, funding and definitions clarifications
The government has updated its guidance for the closed Sustainable Warmth Competition, clarifying delivery, timescales, grant funding, eligible homes and costs, and adding a definitions section.
Scam texts impersonate the Energy Bills Support Scheme as the £400 grant rolls out
Which? has reported scam texts that impersonate the Energy Bills Support Scheme, telling recipients they are eligible for a discounted bill and linking to a fake application site as the £400 grant is paid out.
£200 energy bill reduction to begin in October 2022
A £200 reduction in energy bills for most households in Great Britain was set to begin in October 2022 under the Energy Bills Support Scheme, alongside wider measures to cut reliance on imported gas.
Energyworks grants capped due to unprecedented demand
Energyworks grants in Brighton and Hove were capped in October 2022 after unprecedented demand, with later funding from UK Power Networks topping up existing awards and paying for 174 new £200 grants.
Government decides to go ahead with doubling the ECO scheme
The Government has decided to double the Energy Company Obligation, an industry-designed scheme, as analysis shows poorly insulated homes cost about £1,000 a year more to heat than band C homes.
HES loans and cashback scheme to be relaunched by Autumn 2022
The Scottish Government has confirmed that its successor to the Home Energy Scotland loans and cashback scheme will relaunch in Autumn 2022, with applicants required to use TrustMark or MCS approved suppliers.
Ofgem publishes ECO4 delivery guidance
Ofgem has published version 1 of its ECO4 delivery guidance, setting out the minimum requirements, exemptions, scoring rules and scheme interactions that govern how energy suppliers deliver the obligation.
Warm Home Discount to increase to £150 in October
The Warm Home Discount rises from £140 to £150 in October 2022 and its eligibility expands by almost a third, to reach three million households.
Winter Heating Payment replaced Cold Weather Payments in Scotland
The Winter Heating Payment replaced the Cold Weather Payment in Scotland from winter 2022/23, ending DWP cold weather payments to Scottish claimants and paying a flat annual sum instead.
- September 2022
Cost of Living Support Scheme closed
The Welsh Government's £150 Cost of Living Support Scheme closed on 30 September 2022, ending payments for retrospective and new-build council tax banding cases and the window for registration responses.
Reconciliation deadline for rebate payments
Councils in England had to complete all Council Tax Rebate payments within the reconciliation process by 30 September 2022, with unspent discretionary funding repayable after 30 November.
Home Upgrade Grant: Phase 2 guidance first published
The Home Upgrade Grant Phase 2 guidance for local authorities was first published on GOV.UK on 29 September 2022, setting out £630 million for off gas grid homes in England.
SHDF Wave 2.1 and HUG Phase 2 open for applications
The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2.1 and Home Upgrade Grant Phase 2 opened for applications on 29 September 2022, under the government's Help to Heat collection of household energy schemes.
Up to £1.5 billion Help to Heat funding launched for SHDF wave 2 and Home Upgrade Grant
The government has opened up to £1.5 billion in Help to Heat funding for social housing providers and local authorities in England to upgrade around 130,000 low-income and social homes.
Welsh Fuel Support scheme opens for applications
The Welsh Fuel Support scheme opened for applications on 26 September 2022, paying eligible households a one-off £200 from their local authority towards winter fuel bills.
Energy Bills and the Price CapScotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Energy Bills Support Scheme ministerial direction published
The government has published the ministerial direction that puts the Energy Bills Support Scheme on a legal footing, requiring domestic electricity suppliers to pay the £400 discount to eligible households.
Government announces £2.5bn energy efficiency funding
The government has published how £630m of Home Upgrade Grant money and £780m of Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund money will be spent, part of a £2.5bn energy efficiency plan announced last September.
Mini-Budget announces £1bn ECO expansion from April 2023
The Chancellor's Plan for Growth adds £1bn to the Energy Company Obligation over three years from April 2023, targeted at vulnerable households in the least efficient homes.
Warmer Homes Scotland contract due to expire
The Scottish Government's national fuel poverty scheme, Warmer Homes Scotland, was due to end in September 2022, with ministers proposing a new seven year successor scheme to replace it.
- August 2022
ECO 4 becomes a reality but delivery is at 25 percent of traditional capacity
The Installation Assurance Authority says ECO 4 legislation has been laid after delays, but industry delivery is running at only 25 percent of traditional capacity as installers consider layoffs.
Government decides not to double ECO scheme
The Government decided not to double the Energy Company Obligation, an industry-developed proposal, as analysis showed poorly insulated homes facing gas bills almost £1,000 higher than band C homes.
Warmer Homes Scotland criteria revised
Scottish ministers revised the eligibility criteria for Warmer Homes Scotland in August 2022, widening access to the national fuel poverty scheme, particularly for households aged 60 to 75.
- July 2022
Government confirms delivery details of £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme
BEIS has confirmed that the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme will be paid in six monthly instalments from October 2022, setting out how each payment method will receive the discount.
Help to Heat collection page first published
The government's Help to Heat collection page, which gathers its household energy grant schemes in one place, was first published on GOV.UK on 29 July 2022.
Online energy efficiency service launched as part of Help to Heat
The government has launched an online service to help homeowners make informed choices on the energy efficiency of their homes, announced alongside final details of the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme installer guidance published
Ofgem has published version 1.0 of its installer guidance for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, setting out eligibility rules, grant values and the voucher process for MCS certified installers in England and Wales.
Welsh Government extends Fuel Support Scheme to more than 400,000 households with £90m investment
The Welsh Government is investing £90m in its Fuel Support Scheme, extending a £200 payment to more than 400,000 low-income households in Wales from autumn 2022.
Energy Bills and the Price CapScotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Grand Committee considers the Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) Order 2022
The House of Lords Grand Committee approved the draft Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) Order 2022 on 12 July 2022, extending and expanding the ECO4 scheme in Great Britain until March 2026.
Energy-saving materials VAT rate cut to 0% in Great Britain
VAT on energy-saving materials installed in residential buildings in Great Britain is now 0%, HM Revenue and Customs guidance states, with the relief running until 31 March 2027.
WMCA launches two major retrofit schemes in the West Midlands
The West Midlands Combined Authority has launched two retrofit schemes, one covering 600 social homes and another opening in Elmdon and Foleshill, as a Birmingham couple report £1,000 annual fuel savings.
Warm Home Discount (England and Wales) Regulations 2022 come into force
The Warm Home Discount (England and Wales) Regulations 2022 were made on 6 July 2022 and came into force the following day, continuing the scheme in England and Wales until 31 March 2026.
Ofgem published ECO4 New Measures and Products draft guidance
Ofgem has published draft guidance for comment on how it will administer the new measures and products routes under ECO4, with responses due by 18 July 2022.
Consortium secures £7.5M from Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund
A West Midlands consortium has secured £7.5M from the government's Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund to retrofit 600 social homes with low carbon heating and solar panels.
ECO scheme entered its fourth phase ECO4
The Energy Company Obligation entered its fourth phase, ECO4, in July 2022, obliging energy companies to fund insulation and heating upgrades in lower income homes until 31 March 2026.
ECO4 legislation comes into place and SWIGA publishes funding feature
SWIGA has published a feature listing grant funding streams for solid wall insulation after ECO4 legislation came into force, setting out eligibility and timescales for schemes running to 2027.
ECO4 Order comes into force
The ECO4 Order came into force in July 2022, opening the fourth phase of the Energy Company Obligation to measures installed from 1 April 2022 under a scheme administered by Ofgem.
ECO4 policy guidance published
The government published policy guidance for the Energy Company Obligation 2022 to 2026 in July 2022, setting out how suppliers, manufacturers and installers can apply for innovation and alternative measure routes.
First instalment of Cost of Living Payment paid in July 2022
The first instalment of a GBP 650 Cost of Living Payment reached around 8 million low-income households in July 2022, with a second instalment due in November 2022.
Sustainable Warmth Competition programme launches in Elmdon and Foleshill
Two retrofit schemes have launched in the West Midlands, including a £2.86m Sustainable Warmth Competition programme in Elmdon, Solihull, and Foleshill, Coventry, alongside £7.5m for social housing.
- June 2022
Government confirms extension and expansion of Warm Home Discount scheme in Scotland to 2026
The UK government has confirmed it will extend and expand the Warm Home Discount in Scotland to March 2026, raising the rebate to £150 and lowering supplier participation thresholds.
West Midlands households lined up for free retrofit under Sustainable Warmth funding
More than 300 homes in Foleshill, Coventry and Elmdon, Solihull will receive free insulation, heating systems and solar panels under Sustainable Warmth funding, with work due to start in September.
Scottish Government publishes response to LIWHA consultation
The Scottish Government has confirmed Low Income Winter Heating Assistance will replace Cold Weather Payments in Scotland from winter 2022-23, paying £50 a year without a cold weather trigger.
ECO3 Interim Delivery ended
The three-month ECO3 Interim Delivery window, which let energy suppliers install measures under older ECO3 rules and scoring, closed on 30 June 2022 ahead of the ECO4 scheme.
Government announces end of £1,500 electric car grant
The Government has ended the £1,500 grant for new electric car purchases, removing purchase support at a time when electric households are reported to save £1,180 a year on running costs.
- May 2022
Ofgem announces administration of Boiler Upgrade Scheme
Ofgem has taken over administration of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which opened to applications on 23 May 2022 and offers grants towards heat pumps and biomass boilers in England and Wales.
EBSS doubled to £400 and made non-repayable
The Chancellor doubled the Energy Bills Support Scheme to £400 on 26 May 2022 and made it a non-repayable grant, replacing the original £200 discount that households would have repaid.
Government announced £400 grant for domestic electricity customers
The government confirmed on 26 May 2022 that domestic electricity customers would receive £400 of support with their energy bills, paid as a grant rather than a repayable reduction.
Government announces cost of living package funded partly by windfall tax
The Chancellor announced a £15bn package of support for households on 26 May 2022, including a £400 energy grant, a £650 payment for means tested benefit claimants and a 25% levy on oil and gas profits.
Government announces financial support to help with cost of living crisis
The government has announced a £400 grant for all households towards energy bills and a targeted £650 payment for those on the lowest incomes, drawing a response from consumer body Which?.
Household Support Fund extended to 31 March 2023
The government has extended the Household Support Fund to 31 March 2023 with an additional £500 million, bringing total funding announced since October 2021 to £3 billion including Barnett impact.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme opens for grant applications
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme opened for grant applications on 23 May 2022, offering £5,000 or £6,000 towards heat pumps and, in limited cases, biomass boilers in England and Wales.
Heat Pump Association welcomes launch of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme
The Heat Pump Association has welcomed the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which opened with grants of £5,000 for air source and £6,000 for ground source heat pumps in England and Wales.
Consultation launched on proposed expansion of Warm Home Discount in Scotland
The UK government has opened a consultation on expanding the Warm Home Discount in Scotland, proposing £49 million a year in support, £150 rebates and 50,000 more households.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme launched with £450m budget
The government launched the £450m Boiler Upgrade Scheme in May 2022, offering grants of up to £6,000 towards heat pumps and, in limited circumstances, biomass boilers in England and Wales.
Cost of living support package announced
The government doubled supplier loans to £400 per household as non-refundable payments and added payments of £650, £300 and £150, raising the local authority fund to £1.5 billion.
Energy Bills Support Scheme vouchers announced
The government's Energy Bills Support Scheme, announced in May 2022, gave every household in Great Britain a £400 discount on energy bills, paid in six instalments from October 2022.
Green Home Finance Accelerator funding doubled to £20 million
A parliamentary committee report confirms the British Energy Security Strategy doubled funding for the Green Home Finance Accelerator from £10 million to £20 million, alongside wider heat decarbonisation measures.
- April 2022
Winter Fuel Support Scheme payment widened and planned for later in 2022
National Energy Action says the Welsh Government will make a further Winter Fuel Support Scheme payment later in 2022, widened to reach more low-income households including pensioners eligible for Pension Credit.
Energy Bills and the Price CapScotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Ofgem publishes decision on ECO4 scoring methodology consultation
Ofgem has confirmed how ECO4 energy efficiency measures will be scored, keeping intermediate SAP bands, four floor area segments and a 10% correction factor in its final decision.
Cross-industry letter calls on Government to expand ECO eligibility
The National Insulation Association has signed a cross-industry letter to HM Treasury, issued by the Sustainable Energy Association, calling for wider eligibility under the Energy Company Obligation.
Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive closes to new applicants
Ofgem has closed the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive to new applicants after eight years, with existing members continuing to receive payments for up to seven years.
£150 Council Tax Energy Rebate for England bands A-D
Households in England in Council Tax bands A to D receive a £150 Council Tax Energy Rebate from April 2022, a payment the government says does not need to be repaid.
BEIS decides not to apply English Boiler Plus standard across Great Britain under ECO4
BEIS has decided not to make the English Boiler Plus standard a specific requirement throughout Great Britain under ECO4, so installations will follow each nation's building regulations instead.
BEIS publishes Warm Home Discount response and NIA submits Welsh Warm Homes Programme response
BEIS confirmed an expanded Warm Home Discount running to at least 2025/26 as the National Insulation Association set out its response to Welsh plans for the next Warm Homes Programme.
British Energy Security Strategy published
The British Energy Security Strategy, published in April 2022, set out extra support for home energy efficiency, including five years without VAT on energy saving materials.
Cost of living payment scheme opens to households
A £150 cost of living payment for households in council tax bands A to D in Wales opens in April 2022 and runs until September, administered by local authorities.
Energy Company Obligation expanded to £1 billion per year from 2022-2026
The Energy Company Obligation will be expanded to £1 billion a year from 2022 to 2026 under the British Energy Security Strategy, supporting 113,000 low-income households annually.
UK Government announces energy support package for Great Britain households
The UK Government announced a package of support for almost all households in Great Britain in April 2022, including the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme and an Energy Price Guarantee capping a typical bill at £2,500.
Government publishes response to ECO reform consultation
The government published its response to the summer 2021 consultation on reforming the Energy Company Obligation in April 2022, raising the minimum requirement for upgrading the least efficient private homes from 100,000 to 150,000.
Government renames Energy Bills Discount as the Energy Bills Support Scheme
The Government published an explainer on 1 April 2022 renaming the Energy Bills Discount as the Energy Bills Support Scheme, the £400 grant later paid to households over winter 2022-23.
Government response to ECO4 consultation published
The government published its response to the ECO4 consultation on 1 April 2022, setting the Energy Company Obligation's rules for April 2022 to March 2026 and confirming a £4 billion scheme across Great Britain.
Great Britain introduced a temporary zero rate for energy-saving material installations
From 1 April 2022, Great Britain introduced a temporary zero rate of VAT on installing energy-saving materials in homes, reversed the 2019 restrictions and reinstated wind and water turbines as qualifying materials.
Group 23 inserted into Schedule 8 Part II by the Value Added Tax (Installation of Energy-Saving Materials) Order 2022
The Value Added Tax (Installation of Energy-Saving Materials) Order 2022 inserted Group 23 into Schedule 8 Part II of the Value Added Tax Act 1994 with effect from 1 April 2022.
Ofgem decides to remove the wall type distinction for heating measures in ECO4
Ofgem has confirmed it will remove the wall type distinction for heating measures under ECO4, publishing its final decision on the scheme's scoring methodology in April 2022.
Ofgem introduces pitched roof insulation, hybrid wall insulation and district heating connection measures in ECO4
Ofgem has confirmed its final ECO4 scoring methodology, adding pitched roof insulation, hybrid wall insulation and district heating connection measures with partial project scores.
OLEV grant ended for private homeowners
The Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme, known as the OLEV grant, closed to private homeowners on 31 March 2022, leaving landlords, social housing providers and apartment block owners as the only eligible applicants.
Solid wall minimum target of 90,000 measures set for ECO4
The government has set a minimum target of 90,000 solid wall insulation measures under ECO4, the four-year Energy Company Obligation running from 2022 to 2026, alongside a 150,000-home minimum for private tenure band E, F and G homes.
Supplier allowance reduced by 50% from phase 1 of ECO4
The government has cut the ECO4 supplier allowance by half and set out final scheme rules for 2022 to 2026, with obligations calculated on supply volumes above 150GWh of electricity and 350GWh of gas a year.
Warm Homes Programme consultation completed
The Welsh Government has completed a public consultation on the future of the next Warm Homes Programme, with a new scheme expected from 2023 and a policy direction due by autumn 2022.
WHD rebate value increases to £150 for SY12
Ofgem's annual report confirms the Warm Home Discount rebate rose from £140 to £150 for scheme year 12, with around 750,000 more households supported and a lower supplier participation threshold.
WHD splits into separate England & Wales and Scotland schemes for SY12
The Warm Home Discount split into separate England and Wales and Scotland schemes for 2022-23, with a new Core Group 2 in England and Wales and the rebate rising from £140 to £150.
Zero rate for air source heat pumps begins in GB with eligibility conditions removed
Air source heat pumps became zero rated for VAT in Great Britain on 1 April 2022, with the eligibility conditions that previously restricted the relief removed permanently.
- March 2022
Boiler Upgrade Scheme covers systems commissioned on or after 1 April 2022
Ofgem has confirmed that heat pumps and biomass systems commissioned on or after 1 April 2022 qualify for Boiler Upgrade Scheme support, with installer accounts opening on 11 April and applications from 23 May.
British Gas adds £2 million to Support Fund, taking it to £6 million
British Gas Energy has added £2 million to its Support Fund, taking it to £6 million, to help customers struggling to pay energy bills as living costs and inflation rise.
Cold Weather Payment scheme period ends
The Cold Weather Payment scheme closed for the winter on 31 March 2022, with £25 paid for each seven-day period of very cold weather recorded in a household's area.
Deadline for completion of Green Homes Grant work
The Green Homes Grant voucher scheme closed to new applicants in 2021, and all insulation and low carbon heating work funded through it had to be finished by 31 March 2022.
Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive closes
The Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive closed to new applicants on 31 March 2022, though accreditations have continued since, mainly through transfer of ownership applications.
DWP benefits data matching facility closes for ECO3 eligibility matching
The Department for Work and Pensions benefits data matching facility used to check household eligibility under the Energy Company Obligation closes on 31 March 2022, with reopening unlikely before ECO4.
ECO3 scheme closes with 16 of 26 obligated suppliers still operating
Ofgem's final determination for the Energy Company Obligation 3 scheme shows ten of 26 obligated suppliers left the market during its run, leaving a £135 million shortfall covered by others.
Warm Home Discount payments due by end of March 2022
Households that qualified for the winter 2021/2022 Warm Home Discount were due to receive their one-off payment by 31st March 2022, with applications for that year now closed.
Single unit properties become ineligible for Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme
The government has ended Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme support for single unit properties such as bungalows, detached, semi-detached and terraced housing from April 2022, replacing it with grants aimed at renters, flat owners and landlords.
Additional Household Support Fund funding provided
The Chancellor added £500 million to the Household Support Fund from April 2022, doubling its total to £1 billion, alongside a five-year VAT cut on home energy saving materials.
ECO4 commenced operation in April 2022 with ECO4 Order in force from July 2022
ECO3 closed at the end of March 2022 and ECO4 began in April 2022, though the ECO4 Order did not come into force until July, with a VAT zero rate on energy saving materials starting the same month.
The Value Added Tax (Installation of Energy-Saving Materials) Order 2022 was signed
The Value Added Tax (Installation of Energy-Saving Materials) Order 2022 was signed by two Treasury Lords Commissioners at 11.20 a.m. on 23rd March 2022.
Solar Energy UK and industry groups write to Chancellor urging 0% VAT on domestic renewables
Solar Energy UK and a group of industry and environmental bodies have written to Chancellor Rishi Sunak asking him to cut VAT on domestic renewable and energy efficiency technologies to 0% in the Spring Statement.
Note added on Domestic RHI closure and Boiler Upgrade Scheme successor
A government page on the Renewable Heat Incentive was updated on 4 March 2022 with a note that the Domestic RHI scheme had closed and that the Boiler Upgrade Scheme would succeed it.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme launched
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme opened in March 2022, offering upfront grants towards heat pumps and some biomass boilers in England and Wales, administered by Ofgem and running to 2028.
Chancellor announces further £500 million for the Household Support Fund
The Chancellor announced a further £500 million for the Household Support Fund in the March 2022 Spring Statement, bringing total funding for the scheme to £1 billion since October 2021.
Funding paid to billing authorities
The government paid Council Tax Rebate funding to English billing authorities in March 2022, ahead of £150 payments to households in bands A to D from April.
Government publishes response to PAC report on the Green Homes Grant
BEIS has answered the Public Accounts Committee's criticism of the Green Homes Grant, accepting an unrealistic timetable and promising better design, contractor checks and an evaluation due in August 2023.
Green Homes Grant scheme closes
The Green Homes Grant, which covered up to two-thirds of the cost of energy efficiency works in England, closed in March 2022, leaving households to look to successor schemes.
Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund began delivery
The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund began delivering energy efficiency measures in March 2022, part of a year in which government-backed scheme installations fell 55 per cent.
Spring Statement 2022 expands the VAT relief for ESMs in Great Britain
The government has expanded VAT relief on energy saving materials in Great Britain, setting a temporary zero rate until 31 March 2027 and reinstating wind and water turbines as qualifying materials.
- February 2022
Draft regulations laid before the House
The draft Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) Regulations 2022 were laid before Parliament on 25 February 2022, setting up capital grants for heat pumps and, in limited cases, biomass boilers.
Government announced further £67 million for Home Upgrade Grant phase one
The government announced a further £67 million on 21 February 2022, offered to successful local authorities to supplement funding under Home Upgrade Grant phase one.
Statutory instrument closed the DRHI to new applications
Regulations laid in February 2022 closed the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive to new applications and new metering package applications from midnight on 31 March 2022, ending a scheme that had paid support since 2014.
£90m announced for a further fuel support scheme
The Welsh Government announced £90m on 15 February 2022 for a second fuel support scheme, paying £200 to eligible households after the first winter scheme was doubled from £100.
Chancellor announced support package including EBSS
The Chancellor announced a support package including the Energy Bills Support Scheme on 3 February 2022, giving households a £200 reduction on electricity bills from October 2022, later raised to £400.
Energy bills support package announced
The government announced a £150 council tax rebate for households in England in bands A to D and a £144 million discretionary fund on 3 February 2022, as part of support for rising energy costs.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed by Chancellor
The Chancellor has confirmed the Warm Home Discount will rise to £150 and cover three million households from October, as Ofgem's price cap increase pushes average bills up by more than 54 per cent.
BUS scheme length extended to three years
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme will run for three years to 2024/25 rather than the two years proposed for the Clean Heat Grant, with grants of £5,000 or £6,000 and a £450m budget.
Energy Bills Support Scheme announced with £400 electricity bill discount
The Government's Energy Bills Support Scheme, first announced in February 2022, provided a £400 discount on electricity bills to households as energy prices rose sharply.
Final impact assessment confirms higher BUS grant levels
The final impact assessment for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme confirms grants of £5,000 for air source heat pumps, £6,000 for ground source heat pumps and £5,000 for biomass, replacing an earlier flat £4,000 proposal.
Government announces GBP350 support package for energy bills
The Chancellor has announced support claimed to be worth GBP350 against energy bills, much of it repayable, as Ofgem confirmed the price cap will rise by 54% in April.
Qualifying week moved from September to early November
The Scottish Government has proposed moving the Winter Heating Payment qualifying week from September to early November so the £50 payment follows sooner after eligibility is assessed.
SHDF wave 1 awarded £179 million to 69 projects
Wave 1 of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund awarded £179 million to 69 projects in February 2022, upgrading up to 20,000 social housing properties across England.
Winter Fuel Support Scheme payment doubled to £200
The Welsh Government has doubled its Winter Fuel Support Scheme payment from £100 to £200, available to new applicants and paid retrospectively to households that have already received the lower amount.
- January 2022
Consultation deadline on Ofgem's administration of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme
Ofgem's consultation on how it will run the Boiler Upgrade Scheme closed on 27 January 2022, covering the technical administration of the grant rather than who qualifies for it.
Consultation on Ofgem's administration of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme closes
Ofgem's consultation on how it will run the Boiler Upgrade Scheme closed on 27 January 2022, with a decision published and the scheme due to launch in Spring 2022.
CIPHE publishes consumer advice on the Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2021 to 2022
The Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering has published consumer advice on the 2021 to 2022 Winter Fuel Payment, setting out who qualifies, how much is paid and a claiming deadline of 31 March 2022.
NEA Northern Ireland welcomes launch of DfC Emergency Fuel Payment Scheme but says £2M budget falls short
National Energy Action Northern Ireland has welcomed the Department for Communities Emergency Fuel Payment Scheme for 20,000 households but says its £2 million budget falls far short of what is needed.
E3G briefing argues ECO must stay and ECO4 uplift must not be suspended
E3G has published a briefing arguing that cutting the Energy Company Obligation or suspending the planned ECO4 uplift would harm households, cost 30,000 jobs and block statutory fuel poverty targets.
REA drafts member response to Ofgem BUS administration consultation
The REA has drafted a member response to Ofgem's consultation on how the Boiler Upgrade Scheme will be administered, with member feedback due by 24 January 2022.
Citizens Advice responds to BEIS consultation on market-based mechanism for low-carbon heat
Citizens Advice has told BEIS that the Boiler Upgrade Scheme needs wider financial support, a single mandatory accreditation body and clearer guidance for manufacturers if low-carbon heat is to work for households.
NEA NI urges release of funding for broader fuel poverty support package
National Energy Action Northern Ireland has written to the Minister calling for funding to be released for a broader package of support, saying the £2M Emergency Fuel Payment Scheme falls short.
Renewable Heat Incentive ended, replaced by Boiler Upgrade Scheme
The Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive closed at the end of March 2022 and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme took its place, offering upfront grants of £5,000 or £6,000 towards heat pumps in England and Wales.