If you are a homeowner or a residential landlord, the government’s Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme allows you to apply for a voucher towards the cost of installing energy efficient improvements to your home.
Vouchers will cover two-thirds of the cost of eligible improvements, up to a maximum of £5,000 or £10,000 if your household is on low income or certain benefits.
The scheme runs until the end of March 2022 and you must redeem the voucher and ensure works are completed by this deadline.
Only TrustMark Registered Businesses can carry out work under the Green Homes Grant. This is to provide quality assurance that the work will be completed to the required standards.
The primary aim of TrustMark is to drive up standards across all sectors of home improvements and ensure high levels of consumer protection are maintained.
You may be eligible if you live in England and:
You cannot get the Green Homes Grant for newly-built homes that have not been previously occupied.
The available works are split into ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ measures. The voucher must be used to install at least one primary measure.
If you install at least one primary measure, your voucher can be used to help cover the cost of a secondary measure.
The amount you get towards the cost of secondary measures cannot exceed the amount you get for primary measures. You will only be able to redeem vouchers for secondary measures once you have installed a primary measure and redeemed the vouchers for that measure.
These secondary measures are covered by the voucher:
Only TrustMark Registered Businesses can carry out work for the Green Homes Grant. This is to provide quality assurance that the work will be completed to accepted standards.
Installers with the necessary certification standards and TrustMark registration are working to deliver the Green Homes Grant across England.
Once you’ve decided which improvements to have installed, we recommend getting three quotes from TrustMark Registered Businesses to make sure you’re getting the best value for money. However, you only need one quote from a Green Homes Grant registered installer in order to apply for a voucher.
You will need to provide a copy of the quote when you apply. If the quote seems unreasonably high, the scheme administrator may request that you provide another quote.
You can use more than one installer to install different measures. You only need to complete one application form, but you’ll need to provide a separate quote for each measure.
Applying for a voucher does not guarantee that your application will be approved. You should not commit to start any work until you have been issued with a voucher.
You’ll receive a separate voucher for each of the measures that you have applied to install.
Each voucher is only valid for the measure and property you have applied for. The voucher is only for use by the named applicant and cannot be transferred to another person.
You can only begin work once your voucher has been issued. Any work that was started before that date cannot be claimed.
Vouchers will be valid for three months from the date they are issued or until 31 March 2022 (whichever is earlier). Vouchers must be redeemed before the validity period ends. You can request a voucher extension at any time before your voucher has expired, unless the scheme has been closed.
Once your voucher has been issued, the TrustMark registered installer can begin the work.
Your installer may ask you for a deposit. This should not be larger than the amount they would normally charge. It cannot be larger than your expected contribution to the cost of measures under the quote they have provided you.
If you’re applying under the low-income scheme, your installer cannot ask you for a deposit unless the cost of your measures is more than £10,000.
To redeem your voucher, you’ll need to confirm that:
• The installation was completed satisfactorily before the voucher expiry date
• You have received the necessary documents from the installer
• You have paid your share of the costs to the installer (if applicable)
• You meet the relevant eligibility requirements
You will need to provide a dated copy of the invoice issued by the installer. When you redeem your voucher, the grant will be paid on your behalf directly to the installer.
Watch the TrustMark WSSW video
Green Homes Grant installers can continue to work in people’s homes under all 3 local restriction tiers. You can still apply for a grant and get the work done. Your installer must follow the COVID-19 Secure guidelines.
The Green Homes Grant is a government-funded voucher scheme to help you install energy efficiency measures for your home. Measures that will help you reduce your energy bills and carbon emissions.
Under the scheme, the Government will fund up to two-thirds of the cost of home improvements for over 600,000 homes, supporting over 100,000 jobs in green construction.
The Green Homes Grant is a key part of our green economic recovery following COVID-19, which will also help us on the road towards reaching net zero emissions by 2050.
The Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme applies to England only – so doesn't cover homes in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
You can apply for a voucher that funds up to two-thirds of the cost of hiring tradespeople to upgrade the energy performance of your home – up to a maximum contribution of £5,000. It could help save you up to £600 a year on your energy bills.
For example, if you own a semi-detached or end-terrace and installed cavity wall and floor insulation, costing around £4,000, you would pay just £1,320 – with the government paying £2,680. That could save you over £200 annually on your bills and reduce your carbon footprint by cutting 700 kg of CO2 a year from your home alone.
Low income and vulnerable households, including park homeowners and those on certain benefits, are eligible for a grant covering up to 100% of the cost, up to £10,000.
The available measures are split into ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ measures. The voucher must be used to install at least one primary measure.
Primary measures
• Solid wall insulation (internal or external); cavity wall insulation
• Under-floor insulation (solid floor, suspended floor)
• Loft insulation; flat roof insulation; pitched roof insulation; room in roof insulation
• Insulating a park home
Low carbon heat
These low carbon heating measures are covered by the voucher:
• Air source heat pump; ground source heat pump
• Solar thermal (liquid filled flat plate or evacuated tube collector)
• Biomass boiler
• Hybrid heat pump
Secondary measures
If you install at least one primary measure, your voucher can be used to help cover the cost of a secondary measure.
The amount you get towards the cost of secondary measures cannot exceed the amount you get for primary measures. You will only be able to redeem vouchers for secondary measures once you have installed a primary measure and redeemed the vouchers for that measure.
These secondary measures are covered by the voucher:
Windows and doors
• Draught proofing
• Double or triple glazing (where replacing single glazing)
• Secondary glazing (in addition to single glazing)
• Energy efficient replacement doors (replacing single glazed or solid doors installed before 2002)
Heating controls and insulation
• Hot water tank thermostat
• Hot water tank insulation
• Heating controls (such as appliance thermostats, smart heating controls, zone controls, intelligent delayed start thermostat, thermostatic radiator valves)
You may be eligible if you live in England and:
• You own your own home (including long-leaseholders and shared ownership)
• You own your own park home on a residential site (including gypsy and traveller sites)
• You’re a residential landlord in the private or social rented sector (including local authorities and housing associations)
You cannot get the Green Homes Grant for newly-built homes that have not been previously occupied.
The scheme runs until the end of March 2022 and you must redeem the voucher and ensure works are completed by this deadline.
How to apply
1. Check your eligibility
2. Check what energy efficiency or low carbon heat improvements may be suitable for your home
3. Find certified installers in your area that are able to carry out the work
4. Apply for the voucher
If they are carrying out work for the Green Homes Grant at your property, they must be registered with TrustMark.
You can check this at https://www.trustmark.org.uk/find-a-tradesman
All tradespeople registered with TrustMark are bound by the criteria in the TrustMark Framework Operating Requirements and audited by their Scheme Provider to check for compliance.
We currently cover 49 trades for work carried out in and around the home, including Repair, Maintenance & Improvement (RMI); retrofit and energy efficiency measures.
All TrustMark Registered Businesses commit to working to the required standards of the Government Endorsed Quality scheme, as laid out in the TrustMark Code of Conduct.
It’s easy to find a TrustMark Registered Business local to you. Simply use the Online Directory by inputting your postcode and selecting the type of trade you require.
The Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme will deliver energy efficiency improvements to over 600,000 homes, supporting over 100,000 jobs if all vouchers are claimed.
It could help you save up to £600 a year on your energy bills while making your home warmer and more environmentally friendly.
The Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme is time-limited to help stimulate economic recovery and support and create tens of thousands of green jobs immediately.
Allocations for future years will be determined at the forthcoming Spending Review in Autumn 2020.
You can use our Online Directory to find a Registered Business in your area. Their contact details will be shown and you can call or email them to ask for a quote or further details.
To find out how to make communication easier with TrustMark Registered Business, visit our Consumer Portal for information and the benefits of creating a portal account.
Our Quotes and Contracts page has information and guidance on what you should look for once you have received the three quotes that we recommend you obtain before starting any project.
No, vouchers will only be available once the work has been completed and lodged by your tradesperson.
There are certain items not covered by the voucher, including:
• Building a new extension or conversion to your home
• Insulating a conservatory with no fixed heating
• Installing a new fossil fuel boiler (such as gas, oil or LPG boilers)
Yes, primary and secondary measures can be carried out by different firms.
Both firms will need to meet requirements (i.e. be TrustMark registered and appropriately certified), and you (as the property owner) will be issued with a separate voucher for each firm / installer.
