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industry & government news

UK GOVERNMENT SCRAPS GREEN

HOMES GRANT AFTER SIX MONTHS

THE SCHEME WAS PLAGUED BY PROBLEMS

THE GOVERNMENT HAS scrapped its been troubled since its launch last green jobs as had been promised, the
flagship green homes grant scheme, September, after it was announced environmental audit committee found
the centrepiece of Boris Johnson’s in July as the central plank of the some builders had laid off staff owing
promise to “build back greener” from the government’s bid to “build back better” to problems with the scheme. The MPs
Covid-19 pandemic, just over six months and create new green jobs to help the recommended an urgent overhaul.
after its launch, reports The Guardian. economy recover from the pandemic. The government has announced
The abandonment of the £1.5 billion There were more than 123,000 that an extra £300 million will be
programme, which offered households applications for the grant by the end directed towards helping people on low
grants of up to £5,000 or £10,000 to put of February, but only 28,000 vouchers incomes gain access to energy efficiency
in insulation or low-carbon heating, had been issued and only 5,800 energy improvements, through local authorities.
leaves the UK without a plan for efficiency measures had been installed. However, overall the amount of
tackling one of the biggest sources of Builders complained of excessive money earmarked for greening homes
greenhouse gas emissions. red tape in registering for the scheme, is being reduced from the £2.5 billion
People who have had their applications while households found it difficult to announced with fanfare last summer.
for vouchers under the scheme accepted access. A US company was awarded the Of that, £1 billion was earmarked last
will receive any money owed, but no new contract to administer the grants, but a year for local authorities to improve
applications will be accepted. Guardian investigation found numerous homes for people on low incomes, now
Green campaigners said the people unable to get a response. Many raised to £1.3 billion. But the green
scrapping of the programme – the people were given conflicting advice, homes grant was meant to disburse an
only major green stimulus policy yet while builders complained that heat additional £1.5 billion, most of which
announced by the government and pump installations in particular were remains unspent.
originally expected to create tens of stymied by the rules. Scrapping the green homes grants
thousands of green jobs – came as A select committee of MPs delivered leaves the 20 million households
a serious blow as the government a damning assessment that found the on moderate incomes without any
prepares to host the COP26 UN climate scheme “botched [in] implementation … government help to undertake the
summit this November. the administration seems nothing short improvements necessary to reduce
The green homes grant has of disastrous”. Far from creating new greenhouse gas emissions.

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15/04/2021 13:56
News.indd 2
News.indd 2 15/04/2021 13:56