Homeowners will get vouchers worth £5,000 to help with insulation costs

8 July 2020, 12:56 | Updated: 9 July 2020, 07:59

By Naomi Bartram

@naomibartram

Families could save hundreds under The Green Homes Grant scheme.

Homeowners across the country are set to get £2billion worth of vouchers to insulate their homes and make them more environmentally friendly.

Under the new scheme, families in England will receive vouchers of up to £5,000 for energy-saving home improvements.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak set out the proposals for The Green Homes Grant in his mini budget on Wednesday.

Homeowners will be able to spend the vouchers on loft, wall and floor insulation, eco-friendly boilers, heat pumps, double or triple-glazed ­windows, low-energy lighting and energy-efficient doors.

The government claims this could save families up to £600 a year on energy bills.

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It will also help to support more than 100,000 jobs amid the coronavirus pandemic, including plumbers, builders and tradesmen.

Online applications will launch in September, along with details of accredited local suppliers.

Half of the fund is set to go to the poorest homeowners, who won't have to pay anything.

While other households will see the Government covering at least two thirds of the cost of green upgrades.

"We will do whatever it takes to support jobs, incomes and businesses." Chancellor Rishi Sunak announces

For example, if cavity wall and floor insulation will cost a homeowner £4,000, they would pay £1,320, while the Government would pay the remaining £2,680.

These plans are part of a wider £3billion investment to cut carbon emissions and move the UK towards going carbon neutral by 2050.

£1billion will also be spent on insulation for public buildings and social housing.

Chancellor Mr Sunak told The Sun: “As Britain recovers from the outbreak, it’s vital we do everything in our power to support and protect livelihoods across the nation.

“Our Green Homes Grant will not only cut families’ bills by making their homes more energy efficient, it will also kick-start our economy by creating thousands of green jobs and supporting those skilled tradespeople who are ready to work.”

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