The Green Homes Grant Scheme needs changing according to Meera Chindooroy, deputy policy director for the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA).
The Green Homes Grant Scheme needs changing according to Meera Chindooroy, deputy policy director for the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA).
This comment comes in response to concerns raised by the Environmental Audit Select Committee today that money not spent on the government’s Green Homes Grant scheme will not be rolled over to next year.
Chindooroy said: “Our own survey data shows that 43% of landlords are interested in applying for a grant and there is clear appeal in the potential of the scheme to ensure the energy efficiency improvements we all want to see.
“Given that just 6% of the budget assigned for the grants in 2020/21 has actually been spent, the scheme is simply failing to achieve the results Ministers had hoped.
“We agree with the Select Committee that the eligibility criteria for the scheme is preventing many from being able to access it and Ministers need to address this as a matter of urgency.”
The report from the Environmental Audit Committee noted that the 86% of individuals had a poor experience with the Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme.
The Environmental Audit Committee said: “We welcome the intention behind the government’s Green Homes Grant.
“It is disappointing that the administration of the scheme appears to be putting green jobs at risk, rather than creating them.
“Delivery has been poor for consumers and has led to perverse consequences for installers, and the scheme remains too short-term to have any prospect of achieving its initial targets.
“We recommend that the Green Homes Grant scheme be urgently overhauled and extended to provide greater long-term stimulus to the domestic energy efficiency sector.
“The government must be mindful not to repeat the mistakes of the failed Green Deal energy efficiency incentive scheme.”
