Government announces heating installation funding

The funding, announced today (July 21), means householders could get up to £1,250 towards the cost of installing renewable heating systems such as biomass boilers, air and ground source heat pumps and solar thermal panels.

Climate change minister, Greg Barker, revealing the plan this morning, claimed it could ‘create a market’ in the UK for developing, selling and installing renewables kit.

It will be called the Renewable Heat Premium Payments and will be focused on the estimated four million households in the UK not heated by mains gas.

The cash, which differs in value depending on what installation is opted for, will be administered by the Energy Saving Trust.

Initially, the funding is set at the £15 million; although the Government has said it will review it at the £10million mark possibility offering more should the scheme be successful.

Under the scheme funding will be available for:

·Ground Source Heat Pump – £1250 grant (for homes without mains gas heating)

·Biomass boiler – £950 grant (for homes without mains gas heating)

·Air source heat pump – £850 grant (for homes without mains gas heating)

·Solar thermal hot water panels – £300 grant (available to all households regardless of the type of heating system used)

Climate change minister, Greg Barker, said: “Today starts a new era in home heating because we’re making it more economical for people to go green by providing discounts off the cost of eco heaters.

“This should be great news for people who are reliant on expensive oil or electric heating as the Premium Payment scheme is really aimed at them.

“Getting money off an eco-heater will not just cut carbon emissions, it will also help create a market in developing, selling and installing kit like solar thermal panels or heat pumps.”

Call 0800 512 012 or visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/RHPP for more information.

Luke Walsh