Farmers and rural estate owners hoping to secure grant support through the Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme should look to obtain quotes from accredited tradespeople ahead of the scheme opening in September, according to land and property specialists Strutt & Parker.

The government has recently announced further details of the £2bn scheme, first announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in July, which is designed to cut energy bills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

It has confirmed that the installation of insulation and low-carbon heating systems will take priority under the scheme, although funding will also be available for upgrading windows and doors and other smaller energy efficiency projects.

The scheme will assist homeowners, including landlords, by providing vouchers covering up to two-thirds of the cost of specified home improvements.

For most homeowners, there will be a contribution of up to £5000 available per household. However, owner-occupiers in receipt of income or disability support may be eligible for a contribution of up to 100% of the cost of both primary and secondary measures, worth up to £10,000.

The scheme will be split into primary and secondary measures, with the rules stating that households will need to install at least one primary measure to be eligible for funding for a secondary measure.

However, homeowners will only be eligible to receive the same amount of funding for a secondary measure option as they received for the primary measure. For example, if an applicant receives £1000 for the installation of a primary measure, they can only receive £1000 for a secondary measure. 

Any tradespeople supplying services as part of the scheme must be accredited with either TrustMark or the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS).

“We expect there to be strong demand for this scheme and so it will be advisable to apply early,” said Nick Clayson, assistant land agent in the Northallerton office of Strutt & Parker.

“Homeowners and landlords wishing to take advantage should look to obtain quotes from accredited tradespeople prior to September. This will put them in the best position to access the funds early, and avoid missing out as accredited tradespeople become booked up.

“The scheme could prove to be a valuable opportunity for landlords wanting to make energy efficiency improvements to meet or exceed the requirements set out by the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) regulations. Equally, it gives homeowners the opportunity to be more energy conscious and make savings to their consumption wherever possible.”

The list of approved primary measures is as follows:

• Solid wall insulation
• Cavity wall insulation
• Under-floor insulation
• Loft insulation
• Flat roof insulation
• Room in roof insulation
• Park home insulation
• Air source heat pump installation
• Ground source heat pump installation
• Solar thermal installation

The list of approved secondary measures is as follows:

• Draught proofing
• Double/triple glazing (where replacing single glazing)
• Secondary glazing (in addition to single glazing)
• Upgrading to energy-efficient doors (where replacing doors installed prior to 2002)
• Heating controls and insulation (appliance thermostats, hot water tank thermostats, hot water tank insulation, smart heating controls, zone controls, delayed start thermostat, and thermostatic radiator valves).

The government estimates that the scheme will benefit 600,000 homeowners in England.

The scheme will not cover new-build or non-domestic properties.