Grants and Schemes News: page 18
- March 2023
Phase 2 of Home Upgrade Grant begins
The second phase of the Home Upgrade Grant began in April 2023, with up to £700m allocated across English local authorities to fund energy efficiency upgrades and clean heating until March 2025.
Warmer Homes Scotland began using revised eligibility criteria
Warmer Homes Scotland moved to revised eligibility criteria in April 2023, after the first phase of applications closed on 31 March 2023 with referrals paused until October.
Government announces extension of Boiler Upgrade Scheme until 2028
The government has announced a three-year extension of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to 2028, alongside a £30 million heat pump investment accelerator and a new insulation scheme.
Government announces intention to extend BUS until 2028
The government announced on 30 March 2023 that it intends to extend the Boiler Upgrade Scheme beyond its original 2025 end date to 2028, as part of its Powering Up Britain plan.
Great British Insulation Scheme begins
The Great British Insulation Scheme, a supplier obligation formerly known as ECO+, began in April 2023 to upgrade the least energy-efficient homes in Great Britain, with 300,000 homes expected to benefit.
Tax information and impact note published on VAT relief for energy-saving materials in Northern Ireland
HM Revenue and Customs has published a tax information and impact note extending the temporary VAT zero rate for energy-saving materials to Northern Ireland from 1 May 2023.
SHDF Wave 2.1 and HUG Phase 2 successful projects announced
The government has announced the successful projects for Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2.1 and Home Upgrade Grant Phase 2, the two Help to Heat schemes that fund efficiency works in social and off-gas homes.
HUG Phase 2 successful local authorities announced
The government has announced which local authorities secured Home Upgrade Grant Phase 2 funding, with up to £630 million available to upgrade off gas grid homes in England from April 2023.
Oxfordshire awarded £6.417m under HUG2 to retrofit at least 310 off-gas homes
Oxfordshire County Council has been awarded £6.417 million in the second phase of the Home Upgrade Grant to retrofit at least 310 homes that are not heated by mains gas.
WMCA secures £34m to retrofit around 3,000 West Midlands homes
The West Midlands Combined Authority has secured £34 million of government funding, matched by £35 million from housing providers, to retrofit around 3,000 homes rated D or below.
Treasury issues call for evidence on zero VAT for battery storage
The Treasury has issued a call for evidence on extending zero VAT to battery storage, whether retrofitted to solar panels or fitted as a standalone unit.
Welsh Government published the Keep Warm Keep Well Pembrokeshire press release
The Welsh Government has published details of the Keep Warm Keep Well programme in Pembrokeshire, part of a £1.6 billion cost-of-living support package, after a ministerial visit to a Tenby warm space.
Government launches online portal for alternative fuel payment
The government has opened an online portal for households that heat with oil to claim the £200 alternative fuel payment, with applications accepted until 31 May 2023.
Which? responds to government energy efficiency campaign and ECO+ scheme
Which? has welcomed the government's energy efficiency campaign and the ECO+ insulation scheme, while calling for fast delivery, independent advice and robust consumer protections.
Government announces over £14 million to accelerate low carbon heating rollout
The government has announced more than £14 million for low carbon heating, with £9.7 million for four Heat Pump Ready projects and a £5 million grant to train 10,000 installers.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme extended until 2028
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme has been extended by three years to 2028, with extra funding for each year after 2025, but no budget level has yet been set for the extended scheme.
Consultation on resolving the retrofitted BESS VAT anomaly opened in the spring
A call for evidence on VAT relief for energy saving materials opened in spring 2023, examining an anomaly that left retrofitted domestic battery storage facing 20% VAT.
Deeper Devolution Deal gives WMCA control of retrofit funding pot
The West Midlands Combined Authority has secured £34 million of government funding, matched by £35 million from housing providers, to retrofit around 3,000 homes rated D or below.
Energy Bill Support Scheme ends
The Energy Bill Support Scheme, which gave every household in Great Britain a £400 discount on energy bills over winter 2022 to 2023, ended in March 2023 with no replacement announced.
First Minister backed £10 million uplift to the Fuel Insecurity Fund
The First Minister marked his first month in office with a £10 million uplift to the Fuel Insecurity Fund, a commitment the Scottish Fuel Poverty Advisory Panel later cited when it criticised plans to close the fund.
Government publishes details of HUG and SHDF spending
The government has published how £630m of Home Upgrade Grant money and £780m of Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund money will be spent, with funding available from April for insulation, glazing and heat pumps.
Government publishes response to ECO+ policy consultation
The government published its response to the ECO+ consultation in March 2023, setting out policy proposals for a scheme later renamed the Great British Insulation Scheme.
Government response to ECO+ consultation published, renaming the scheme the Great British Insulation Scheme
The government has published its response to the ECO+ consultation, confirming the scheme will be renamed the Great British Insulation Scheme and run from 2023 to 2026 in England, Scotland and Wales.
Great British Insulation Scheme announced
The Great British Insulation Scheme, announced in March 2023 to fund insulation in less efficient homes within set council tax bands, later closed to new applicants and completed its final installations.
Great British Insulation Scheme installs just over 1,000 measures in seven months
Analysis by the End Fuel Poverty Coalition finds the Great British Insulation Scheme installed just over 1,000 energy efficiency measures between March and October 2023, as 39% of UK households say they cannot afford to insulate.
New Warmer Homes Scotland scheme launches
A new version of Warmer Homes Scotland, built on a whole house retrofit approach, replaced the previous scheme in early 2023, targeting lower-income and vulnerable households in fuel poverty.
Wave 2.1 government funding allocated
The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund's Wave 2.1 was allocated £778 million of government funding in March 2023, covering proposed energy performance improvements to around 90,000 social homes in England.
- February 2023
Welsh Government Fuel Support Scheme application window closes
The Welsh Government Fuel Support Scheme stopped taking applications on 28 February 2023, closing a £200 payment that was open to households regardless of how they paid for energy.
Energy Bills and the Price CapScotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Government announces online portal for Alternative Fuel Payment claims
Heating oil customers who missed the £200 Alternative Fuel Payment through their electricity account will be able to claim it through a government online portal running by 6 March 2023.
Online portal opens for £600 EBSS alternative funding applications in Northern Ireland
The UK government has opened an online portal and telephone helpline so more than 28,000 Northern Ireland households without a direct electricity supplier can apply for £600 energy bill support.