Following a review, the Green Homes Grant voucher scheme launched last year will close to new applications on 31 March at 5pm
The Green Homes Grant scheme was designed to provide a short-term economic boost while tackling our contribution to climate change.
The government revealed that applications made before the end of March deadline will be honoured and any vouchers already issued may be extended upon request.
96,000 applications have been made through the Green Homes Grant Voucher scheme and only 39,000 vouchers have been issued.
The government expects to issue vouchers worth a total value of £300m by the time the scheme closes on 31 March 2021.
‘A self-fulfilling prophesy of failure’
The government’s decision to cancel the Green Homes Grant scheme will damage the country’s progress towards net zero targets, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).
Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, said: “The misguided scrapping of the Green Homes Grant scheme sends entirely the wrong message to consumers and builders, and will harm the UK’s desire to be seen as a global leader in tackling climate change.
“Small, local builders who have spent thousands of pounds becoming eligible for work under the scheme rightly feel let down and angry.
“Without these workers on the government’s side, we will fail to retrofit our 28 million existing homes, missing the opportunities for green growth, new jobs, and to level up.”
“The government has legal commitments to meet zero carbon – this is not a choice,” says Ashden CEO, Harriet Lamb.
“But the stop-start history of its commitment to providing grants for making homes more energy efficient is undermining confidence within the industry.
“Companies that have taken on the retrofit challenge are scared of entering the market when the government has pulled the rug out from under their feet too many times.
“The government has created a self-fulfilling prophesy of failure. It is crucial they turn this around through a long term, stable policy including investing in training.”
