Green home grants
Three Rivers District Council has secured a third round of Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery funding to help qualifying residents improve their homes.
The Council are working alongside Warmworks to deliver grants to eligible residents under Phase 3 of the Green Homes Grant (also known as “Sustainable Warmth”).
The Green Homes Grant scheme aims to help the country achieve its net-zero carbon goal, while also helping households stay warm, save money, and reduce their carbon footprint.
This scheme is targeting households who would like a warmer home but cannot afford to make energy-saving home improvements, with fully funded (FREE) measures worth up to £10,000 for homeowners – or up to £5,000 contribution for landlords/privately renting tenants.
These energy efficiency measures may include:
- wall, loft and underfloor insulation
- draught-proofing
- low-carbon heating systems
- smart heating controls
- energy efficient lighting
- solar photovoltaic panels
These home upgrades can help to improve the warmth and wellbeing of your home and reduce your energy bills.
(Please note: Funding is limited and distributed on a first-come-first-serve basis. Measures on offer are subject to availability and suitability to each home.)
The Green Homes Grant Phase 3 scheme managed by Warmworks is now closed to new applications.
Residents who have already applied for funding under this scheme can contact Warmworks to enquire about the status of their application.
To contact Warmworks, call: 0808 196 8255 (free phone line)
FAQs
You can read Warmworks’ FAQs document here.
About the Scheme
Who Is Eligible for Green Homes Grant Funding?
To be eligible for Green Homes Grant Funding the following criteria must be met:
- The applicant must be a homeowner or privately renting tenant living in a property connected to the gas grid with an EPC rating of D*, E, F or G.
*There is a limit to the number of Band D properties on Phase 3 of the Green Homes Grant which means if there are already a high number of applicants with D-rated homes, you may be placed on a waiting list if your home has an EPC rating of D.
- The household living in the property that will receive improvements must have a household income less than or in the region of £30,000 per year.
Large households and those with high housing costs may have incomes over £30,000 but could still be eligible so do contact Warmworks to check.
Do you have to pay back a Green Homes Grant?
No, you don't have to pay back a Green Homes Grant. The funding is provided by the Government to help the UK meet its zero-carbon targets.
Check If You Can Apply
I am a tenant, how can I take part?
The scheme requires the permission of the homeowner or landlord. If you are a tenant, please tell your landlord about the scheme and ask them to get in touch with the managing agent for the scheme, to discuss whether they would like to take part.
I am a homeowner of a leasehold property; can I still apply to the scheme?
Yes, you can still apply. However, the type of measures you can have installed will depend on the terms of your lease agreement and we suggest you read through your lease agreement first. It may be that some measures can be installed (these are likely to be internal measures), but some others (likely to be external) will depend on whether your freeholder is willing to give consent.
If I have applied for the Government’s Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme, can I apply for the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery Scheme?
No. It is not possible to apply for both this scheme (the Local Authority Delivery Scheme) and the Government’s now expired Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme. You cannot mix funding from the two, and you will be asked to declare when you apply to our scheme that you have not applied to the Voucher scheme.
If you have already applied for the Government’s Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme and have progressed to the point where you have received quotes and successfully applied for the voucher, that voucher should be used and support from the Local Delivery Scheme cannot then be provided. If you have not yet reached this point, please do contact the managing agent for the scheme to discuss your options.
How the Work Is Carried Out
Who carries out the work?
The works are managed by the managing agent for the scheme, Warmworks.
They will be your main point of contact throughout installation of the works and will arrange for a retrofit assessor to determine which measures are suitable for your property. They will appoint an accredited sub-contractor to undertake the work. The quality accreditation scheme – PAS:2035 – will ensure the work is carried out to the latest industry standards. Surveyors will sign off the project when the installation of measures is complete to ensure required standards have been met and you are satisfied with the works.
How disruptive will the works be?
This will depend on the nature of the work recommended. Some measures are quick to install and will not be very disruptive, others may require a deeper level of intervention. The nature of works will always be discussed in advance with the homeowner/landlord as part of the whole house plan.
Whilst there may be some disruption for a short period of time, the works should reduce the cost of your energy bills and make your home more comfortable in the long term.
How long will the works take?
The duration of the works will depend on the measures that your retrofit assessor determines could be suitable for the property. When producing a whole house plan, your retrofit assessor will explain the recommended works, the costs and the length of time these works could take.
Financial Issues
How will you check my household income?
The managing agent will need to check your household income before you can receive funding from the scheme.
Household income is the combined gross income of all household members who are 18 years or older. Individuals do not have to be related to be considered members of the same household. Paying lodgers are not considered members of the household, although their rent payment will be considered as part of household income.
There are several documents that can be used as evidence of income:
- The last 3 months of bank statements for all bank accounts held. These must be consecutive.
and / or (if employed)
- Five wage slips in a row if paid weekly or
- Three wage slips in a row if paid every two weeks or
- Two wage slips in a row if paid monthly
or - If you have recently started a new job, a letter from your employer confirming salary / a copy your contract of employment
or
If you are self-employed: accounts for the last financial year or a trading summary if you have only recently started trading
If I have savings but am on a low income, can I still apply?
Yes. Eligibility for the Green Homes Grant LAD Scheme is based on an annual household income in the region of £30,000 or less. For this scheme, savings are not taken into consideration.
If I want to apply to the scheme and am not in receipt of benefits, what information will you require?
The managing agent will require the last three months’ worth of bank statements for all bank accounts you hold and of anyone else living in the household and, if applicable, pay slips. These will need to be full statements with nothing crossed out. We do appreciate that this is personal information and can feel intrusive. Warmworks' privacy notice sets out how your data will be handled, and you are also welcome to speak to the managing agent directly if you have any concerns.
If you are successful in applying to the scheme, your property could receive improvements worth up to £10,000. This funding is coming from the Government and we are required to carry out due diligence to ensure that only people that are eligible benefit from this funding and to minimise the risk of fraud. We take the privacy of this information seriously.
My household income was more than £30,000 earlier in the year but my circumstances have now changed. I have applied for benefits but am not yet in receipt of them. What do I do?
You should still meet the income eligibility for the scheme. However, we will require three months of Bank Statements to verify this change in circumstances and will need to discuss with you any other evidence you can provide that verifies this change in circumstances. Please do get in touch with the managing agent for the scheme, to discuss this further.
Your EPC Rating
What is an EPC rating?
EPC refers to an Energy Performance Certificate, which measures the energy efficiency of a property on a scale of A-G (with ‘A’ having the highest energy efficiency, and G having the worst energy efficiency).
I do not know what my EPC rating is, how can I check?
If you do not know the EPC rating of your property, you can check this online.
If your property cannot be found on the website, it is likely your property does not have an EPC rating. This is common where a property has not been sold or let in recent years.
My home does not have an EPC rating. Can I take part?
If your home has not been let or sold recently, it may not have an EPC rating. The EPC rating for a property can also be out of date if changes have been made to the property since it was last assessed.
You may still be able to take part if your property does not have an EPC. Please contact the managing agent for the scheme. They can do a brief assessment from the information you provide to estimate whether your home is likely to be EPC D or below. If they believe the property is likely to be EPC D or below, your household income qualifies, and you are keen to progress, they will arrange for an EPC assessment to be made, the cost of which is covered by the Grant.
I have an EPC for my property but have had energy efficiency works done since it was issued. A new EPC was not issued, and I do not know what it now is. Can I still apply?
Yes, you can still apply. Please advise the managing agent that you have had works done since the EPC was completed when you apply. The managing agent will carry out modelling to asses if your home is still likely to be EPC D or below. If they believe the property is likely to be EPC D or below and your household income qualifies, you will be able to apply. So please contact the managing agent to check.
Your Privacy
How are my details protected?
Please refer to Warmworks’ Privacy Notice.
You will be asked for your consent to share your information when you complete your application form with the managing agent. Information would be shared (with consent) by the managing agent to arrange for a whole house assessment and plan, with their accredited installers to enable works to be carried out, and with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) when they are evaluating the impact of the scheme.
Other Help
My landlord has said they do not wish to participate in the scheme. I am living in a cold property. What can I do?
Unfortunately, for privately renting tenants, this scheme does require the permission of your landlord, and they would need to contribute a minimum of 1/3 of the total costs of the work. Therefore, if they decide they do not wish to participate, you will not be able to take part. If your landlord is undecided about the scheme, please encourage them to speak to the managing agent.
If your landlord does not wish to participate, you may qualify for alternative support. Please visit Home Energy Efficiency Grants (threerivers.gov.uk) for more information.
Please note that since 1 April 2020, landlords can no longer let or continue to let properties covered by the MEES Regulations if they have an EPC rating below E, unless they have a valid exemption in place. Read more information on the MEES regulations.
If you are a private tenant in a property covered by the MEES regulations and the EPC rating for your property is an F or a G, or if your privately rented property is rated E or above and you believe it is excessively cold, please contact the managing agent for the scheme to see what help is available.
How will these home improvements lower my energy bills?
Measures funded by the Green Homes Grant will make your home more energy efficient.
Insulation measures prevent heat flow, stopping heat from escaping your home in cold weather, and entering your home in warm weather. Improving the energy efficiency of your home with insulation can therefore keep you warm in winter and cool in summer, reduce your energy bills, and lower your carbon footprint.
Renewable energy technologies such as Solar PV panels allow you to generate your own electricity by harvesting the sun’s energy. This can save you money on your electricity bills, help you become more independent of the National Grid, and reduce your carbon footprint by around one tonne of carbon each year depending on your location.