In July 2020, the Chancellor announced £2 billion of support through the Green Homes Grant to cut carbon emissions and create green jobs in the UK. The grant will be comprised of up to £1.5 billion of support through energy efficiency vouchers and up to £500m of support allocated to Local Authorities.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is inviting LAs, working with their local partners, to apply for funding to be used to improve the energy efficiency of low-income households living in their area. LAs are asked to come forward with previously developed proposals or new proposals that meet the desired outcomes of the scheme. The LAD scheme aims to raise the energy efficiency of low-income and low EPC rated homes, including those living in the worst quality off-gas grid homes, delivering progress towards reducing fuel poverty, the phasing out of the installation of high carbon fossil fuel heating and the UK's commitment to carbon net zero by 2050.
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This is a great opportunity for Las’ to invest in replacement gas boilers to help tackle fuel poverty and inefficient heating systems. CHIC offers an OJEU compliant solution for labour and materials to support this through our Planned Works and Merchants Framework.
If you didn’t get the chance to meet the 1st September application date, there are plans to invite phase two submissions soon.
If you have any related questions, please feel free to get in touch at enquiries@chicltd.co.uk
In Other News
Major Steps in Wales
There have already been major developments by the Welsh Government in reducing the carbon footprint of the housing sector, now being driven even further with the latest retrofit programme. The announced £9.5 million programme plans to cut energy bills and tackle fuel poverty. Optimised Retrofit Programmes (ORP) funding will support the fitting of energy efficiency measures in up to 1,000 existing homes owned by social landlords and councils. It forms part of a £45 million Innovative Housing Programme announced earlier this year, which focuses on building new carbon-neutral homes using modern methods of construction.
Wales has also taken a huge step in tackling homelessness. During the peak of the pandemic, homeless people in Wales were housed in temporary accommodation. Since then, charities, local authorities and the Welsh Government have been working to find them more permanent homes. £50m in total has been made available to support projects across Wales, which help provide those in need with safe and secure homes.
Covid-19 Disruption
Has the pandemic caused more disruption than initially estimated to the construction and house building sector? Many housing associations across the UK have reported significant decreases in the number of new completions with restrictions affecting their development pipelines, some seeing decreases of up to 70% in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the same period last year. It has recently been revealed that housing construction output has also seen reductions to less than half compared to 2019, despite the record surge in June.
Depending on the status of the pandemic, we are expecting 2021 to see major development and asset management projects being fully underway to offset the delays this year, which CHIC is fully prepared to support. If you need us to help prepare new contracts, please get in touch.
