UK Double Glazing Grants 2021

Well … what a year 2020 was for us all and who could have seen THAT coming! It’s time to draw a line under it so let’s look at the outlook for UK double glazing grants 2021.

We’re not out of the Covid-19 woods yet but, with the vaccine being rolled out, one would like to assume that we’ll start getting back to a degree of normality at some stage in 2021. And that means there’s likely to be a very high focus on economic recovery. In turn this means we may see a variety of measures and incentives introduced to kick-start to economy.

Let’s not forget Brexit too – even now we still don’t know if we’re leaving the EU with or without a deal!

Will this mean that a new dawn of double glazing grants 2021 are a real possibility … we’re hopeful.

So … what do we know for certain so far?

One of the biggest incentives towards energy efficient home inprovements was the launch of the Green Homes Grant in England.

Green Homes Grant 2021

We announced the arrival of the Green Homes Grant back in mid-2020. To remind ourselves of what it is, how it works and how it applies to double glazing grants in 2021:

The Green Homes Grant is a Government backed initiative aimed at kick-starting the economy by supporting energy efficient home improvements in England (thus supporting the drive for carbon saving too). It means that homeowners can apply for vouchers of up to £10,000 which can be used as part-payment for qualifying home improvements when carried out by registered tradespeople.

In real terms for the majority the maximum value of these vouchers will only be £5,000. To qualify for the additional grant the applicant must be in the low income owner occupier category and in receipt of income-based or disability benefits. Still … even a grant of £5,000 can go along way!

The burning question then – does it cover double glazing grants? The answer is yes … but with caveats so not in most cases.

How It Works

The way the grant works is as follows:

Visit the official Simple Energy Advice website and fill in the questionnaire about your property. This will then tell you which improvement measures are going to be eligible for grant funding.
You must select at least one primary measure consisting of:
- Insulation, including solid wall, under-floor, cavity wall or roof insulation.
- Low carbon heating systems such as air source or ground source heat pumps.
- Solar thermal systems which basically means solar panels.
You can then select secondary measures up to the same value as the primary measures you’ve already selected. These include:
- Double glazing, triple glazing or secondary glazing.
- An upgrade to energy efficient doors.
- Thermostats and heating controls for hot water and appliance tanks.
The site will then confirm all eligible measures, the approximate cost and the resulting savings.
You will then be directed to the Green Homes Grant application website where you can apply for the voucher.
You can then start obtaining quotes from Trustmarked installers in readiness for them to carry out the installation on receipt of the voucher.

Green Homes Double Glazing Grants 2021

We said that double glazing grants are available as a secondary measure however, there are caveats which mean that it’s not going to be good for many of us:

Draft proofing is a secondary measure.
Double glazing grants are available but only when upgrading from single glazing. They do not cover the cost of replacing existing or even substandard double glazed units
Energy efficient replacement doors are covered though – as long as they are replacing single glazed or solid doors which were installed before 2002

So that’s what you’ve got to consider – if you currently have single glazing or if you have solid doors from pre 2002 then your luck’s in!

Green Homes Grant 2021 – Changes

As with many of these initiatives there have been teething problems. There was a delay in getting the vouchers out to people and there was also a problem with a low number of Trustmark contractors. In a way this has worked in our favour though because the scheme, which was designed as just a short term initiative, has now been extended. Initially measures had to be installed by April 2021, now it’s going right through to 31^st March 2022.

Plenty of time to check this out and for applications. So, for that reason, if you have single glazing or pre 2002 solid doors then get your application in as there’s double glazing grants to be had!

To get started check eligibility at: https://www.gov.uk/

Then apply at: https://www.simpleenergyadvice.org.uk/

2021 Grants – What Else?

Great Britain

double glazing grants eco3 ECO3 is the third phase of the governments Energy Company Obligation policy which will run until March 2022. The purpose is to deliver energy efficiency and heating improvement measures to homes across Great Britain. The main focus is on property owners on low income, who are vulnerable and those in fuel poverty so it’s not going to be for the majority.

Energy Company Obligation (ECO3) consultation sets out the policy of the scheme that will run from Autumn 2018 until March 2022. The scheme delivers energy efficiency and heating measures to homes in Great Britain.

ECO3 Policies:

focus is on property owners on low income, who are vulnerable and those in fuel poverty
reducing the current supplier obligation threshold of 250,000 customer accounts (or equivalent) for the scheme, in a phased way, to 150,000 customer accounts (or equivalent) from 2020
requiring 15% of measures to be delivered to rural homes
increasing the proportion of the scheme that can be delivered under local authority flexible eligibility to 25%
allowing up to 10% of a suppliers’ obligation to be met through the delivery of new, innovative products
supporting households that have a broken heating system by allowing the equivalent of 35,000 broken heating systems to be replaced per year
encouraging a multiple measure approach by allowing the replacement of inefficient heating systems to be replaced if they are installed alongside insulation
requiring the equivalent of at least 17,000 solid walled homes to be treated per year, either through solid wall insulation, or using a combination of other technologies

If you think you may be eligible you can check it out at https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/

Scotland

double glazing grants greener scotland The picture remains different north of the border with the Greener Scotland initiative run by the Scottish Government continuing. There are 3 main options:

The Options:

Warmer Homes Scotland: “designed to help vulnerable people make their homes warmer and more comfortable by installing a range of energy saving measures.” It helps by: “offering assistance to homeowners and private sector tenants struggling to heat their home, who have lived in their property for at least 12 months, and who meet the qualifying criteria.” Double glazing grants are not ruled out of this scheme. To find out more and to access funding call the Home Energy Scotland hotline: 0808 808 2282. Click Here >>>.
Area Based Schemes: There are a number of localised funding schemes which are dependent on where you live. To see what’s available in your particular area contact Home Energy Scotland from the Scottish Government. You can either call them on 0808 808 2282 or you can visit their website https://www.homeenergyscotland.org/ . It’s an excellent website which includes a very handy Funding Finder tool. Just answer the questions and it will let you know what funding or grants are available in your area. Click Here >>>
Interest Free Loans: If you own your own property in Scotland you can apply for a loan of up to £15,000 for home energy improvements. Of course this is not a double glazing grant but, make the right measures and the energy savings along with the increased value of your property should neutralise the cost of the loan. This is similar to the principle of the defunct Green Deal in England a few years ago. This is the next best thing to a double glazing grant we feel and, you’ll be pleased to know that double glazing IS included and listed as a primary measure and therefore eligible for up to £4,500 of funding. Find out More >>>.

Northern Ireland

We’re expecting more initiatives to follow but, at the moment in Northern Ireland homeowners can get repair and improvement grants from the Housing Executive, but only in certain circumstances. The Disabled Facilities Grant scheme and Mandatory Repair Grants scheme continue as per last year. They are not however linked to home energy efficiency initiatives. Find Out More >>>.

When you’re looking for double glazing grants or any other form of energy saving subsidy a good starting point is the Housing Executive NI Energy Advice Line. It’s specifically established to provide: “independent and impartial energy advice to domestic householders in Northern Ireland plus referrals to energy grants and other sources of help in the region.”

There’s a specific section on energy efficient grants ( Click Here ) which will be worth keeping an eye on as any grants that come available should be detailed here.

Wales

Again, we can report little change in Wales with the continuation of the Welsh Government’s Warm Home Program.

Under this initiative are two seperate programs:

NEST is an initiative which is aimed at solid wall or hard to treat properties which are privately owned. At least one resident has to be in receipt of a means tested benefit. Under the improvement measures there is no mention of double glazing grants but it may be worth a discussion or finding out more. Click Here >>>.

The alternative ARBED scheme also continues. This scheme tackles a number of refurbishment improvements to properties. Again though, there’s no specific mention of double glazing grants but it does refer to draft proofing measures. Find out more about ARBED HERE >>>.

UK Double Glazing Grants 2021 – What Next

The UK double glazing industry is lobbying the Government hard. Like most, this industry has been hit hard and would benefit from support in getting it back on its feet again. The Green Homes Grant helps but not enough for the general double glazing market.

Interest rates remain low and are likely to do so for some time however. This means that, double glazing grant or no double glazing grant, there could be some amazing deals for homeowners. Already we’re seeing low prices, price matches, interest free credit over several years, trade in recycle deals on existing double glazing etc – we don’t see this changing in 2021 so it could be a great year to replace or upgrade existing double glazing too.