Wednesday, October 31, 2012

UK gear up for a green new year

This guest post is published in association with Help Link UK, the central heating and boiler specialist.

We like to keep an eye on our neighbors across the pond and any efforts they are making to be a little more green. With this in mind, we’ve been following the developing Green Deal scheme with interest. The scheme was first announced as part of the UK Energy Act 2011 and aims to provide some financial assistance to households who want to make their homes more energy efficient.

The government managed scheme allows homeowners to claim money from the government to help in the payment of work carried out and has the added option of paying back the rest of the balance for the work via utility bills, or paying up front. This means people should be able to seek help towards payment items like a new boiler, loft and wall insulation or double glazing and then spread the cost.

To access the cash they’ll have to undergo an assessment and agree to have their new central heating boilers or uPVC windows installed by an approved Green Deal company. And, though a pot of £125 million has been set aside, those who want to claim their share will also have to be quick off the mark because it will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

Talking through the details of the launch, Secretary Edward Davey said: “The Green Deal will provide unprecedented choice for consumers wanting to improve their homes and make them more energy efficient. This cash back offer will help get the Green Deal off to a flying start. It really is a great offer – the more work households have done, the more energy they stand to save and the more cash they receive.” 

It will be interesting to see how successful the Green Deal is, particularly as the government are trying to promote a quick uptake of the green millions up for grabs. Homeowners in the UK will also have maintain their savviness as in some instances it may be possible that work completed outside of the Green Deal and it’s approved dealers may work out cheaper than the subsidised option.