28^th January 2013

The Government’s eagerly awaited Green Deal Initiative went live today, giving householders the opportunity to improve the efficiency of their homes by paying for qualifying home improvements out of proposed savings on their energy bills.

Domestic buildings in Britain are among the least efficient in the Western world and the Green Deal gives householders and businesses a brand new way of paying for energy efficient improvements such as insulation and new heating systems.

There are up to 45 different types of energy efficient improvements qualify under the Green Deal, helping people to make their homes warmer without any upfront cost and to repay the Green Deal Loan over time through their electricity bill.

Households in England and Wales who use the Green Deal to make energy saving home improvements will also qualify a cash back scheme. The more work households have done, the more cash they could receive as cash back up to a maximum of £1,000.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg claimed that:

“The Green Deal will help thousands of homes stay warm for less. Those people will benefit from energy saving improvements – and their energy bills will fall. The Green Deal will support thousands of jobs – not just over the next few years, but in the long-term”.

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey added:

“More and more families are being hit by the rising cost of fuel bills and the best way people can protect themselves from increased costs is to use less energy. This is where the Green Deal comes in, giving people a whole new way to pay for energy saving home improvements”.

The Government has also today unveiled a marketing campaign to inform people about the Green Deal.  A nationwide campaign – ‘Green Deal with it’ – will help introduce people to the benefits of the Green Deal and how they can arrange for their home to be warmer and more energy efficient.

Some Green Deal Statistics

• Up to £125 million is available in the Government funded cash back scheme
• 8 million households may benefit from solid wall insulation
• 4 million households may benefit from cavity insulation
• Up to 60,000 jobs are expected to be created or saved in the insulation sector alone by 2015
• Up to £270 a year could be saved if a standard three bedroom semi-detached house had solid wall insulation installed
• 38% of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions come from poorly insulated buildings