Save money on your next boiler with £400.00 off from the boiler scrappage schmeme

You may ask yourself, what is the purpose of the domestic boiler scrappage scheme?

The UK has one of the most ambitious CO2 emission reduction targets in the world. The installation of an efficient heating system is an effective way of reducing household energy bills and CO2 emissions, as domestic heating accounts for 14 per cent of our CO2 emissions.

There are currently around 3 and a half million properties in England with the very least economically friendly type of   boiler (G-rated or worse).

To address this our Government will provide up to 125,000 homes £400 towards the cost of upgrading their boiler (if G-rated or equivalent or worse) to a high efficiency A-rated one or a renewable heating technology. This will help to save in the region of 140,000tCO2 per year – equivalent to taking 45,000 cars off the road.

What are the benefits in upgrading your boiler?

New boiler systems have rated efficiencies of 90 per cent or greater   showing that they use significantly less fuel, resulting in lower CO2 emissions and running costs . Renewable heat technologies do not use fossil fuels, reducing CO2 emissions further .

For example, this means by upgrading your G-rated boiler to an A-rated one, your home heating bill should drop by about a quarter – a saving, on average, of around £235 a year.

Who is eligible for the funding ?

The funding is open to 125,000 householders in England living in an owned or privately rented house .

Please note:

i) If you are a homeowner (including tenants ) under 60 you can only make an application for the scheme if the boiler you are scrapping is in working order and is the main boiler used to heat the home .
ii) If you are a homeowner (including tenants) and 60 or over you can apply for the scheme regardless of whether the boiler system you are scrapping is in working order. However, it still needs to be the main boiler used to heat the home.

Only householders and landlords who privately own and lease dwellings are eligible to make an application for a voucher . Boiler installers and manufacturers, local authority registered social landlords, and housing associations are not eligable for the fund .

Why isn’t this funding  running in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?

The devolution of power to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland means that their assemblies and governments will take decisions on whether they want similar schemes.

How can you tell if your boiler is G-rated?

A good quick test for gas boilers is to see if it has a permanent pilot light -if it has then it is very likely to be a G-rated boiler. If it is gas fired and over fifteen years old it is likely to be eligible. If it is oil fired and over twenty five years old, it is likely to be eligible.

For a better idea, why not see if your boiler make and model is listed as G-rated or worse by going to

* Government Boiler Efficiency Database
* SEDBUK Boiler Efficiency Database

Alternatively, you can ask your nominated installer to assist you in determining whether your boiler is eligible.

Want to register an interest in the boiler scrappage scheme?

If you believe that your home has a G-rated or worse boiler and wish to register an interest in the scheme to receive a £400 cashback voucher towards the cost of upgrading to an A-rated boiler, then arrange for your nominated installer to visit, provide you with a quote and have the following information to hand

i) Your full name.
ii) The address of the property you wish to claim the voucher for.
iii) The make and name of the boiler being scrapped.
iv) The company name , address and contact details of the installer carrying out the work.
v) The type of replacement boiler to be installed e.g. gas, biomass.
vi) Confirmation that you have received a quote or visit from the installer to carry out the work.

Once you have this information please email us here/call our ACT ON CO2 advice line on 0800 512 012.

When will the vouchers be issued?

The £400 vouchers will be issued from 18 January 2010. You will receive the voucher approximately ten days after application. Vouchers are valid for 12 weeks from date of issue. If the voucher is not redeemed within this time, it will be cancelled and reallocated. There will be only one voucher per household, but if the voucher expires, it will be possible to apply for another if funds are available.

Installations made before receipt of your voucher will invalidate your claim and you will no longer be eligible to receive the £400 rebate.

Please note that no vouchers will be sent out before 18. January 2010.

Which boilers and boiler manufacturers can the vouchers be redeemed against?

Vouchers can be redeemed against a boiler from manufacturer which is for A-rated or equivalent gas, oil or LPG boilers, boilers with a Passive Flue Heat Recovery Device, Micro CHP units or Microgeneration Certification Scheme-registered biomass boilers and heat pumps. Solar Thermal is also eligible if combined with an eligible boiler replacement. Electric boilers are not eligible.

Who can carry out the installation of your new boiler?

Installation of a gas or oil boiler must be carried out by an installer registered with a competent person’s scheme (such as GasSafe or OFTEC). Installation of a microgeneration technology must be carried out by a person qualified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme.

How can you find the best deals on boilers and installation?

We recommend that you shop around by enquiring with a range of installers, manufacturers or energy companies for the most competitive deal. Some companies will be offering complementary deals to encourage you to scrap and replace your boiler with them. Once you have chosen an installer, you will need a quote from them in order to register for a voucher.

How will payment of the £400 be made?

Once you have received your voucher, you can then proceed with the installation. You will need to pay for the new boiler and installation upfront and then claim back the £400 by sending the voucher and invoice to us. If you proceed with your installation before you receive your voucher, this will invalidate your claim and you will no longer be eligible for the £400 rebate.

Payment will be issued within 25 working days of receipt of the voucher and invoice.

What other schemes are available to help you with the cost of installing new heating systems or energy efficiency measures?

1.Warm Front

The Warm Front Scheme in England, which provides owner occupier or privately rented households with a package of insulation and/or heating measures up to a maximum value of £3,500 (or £6,000 where oil, low carbon or renewable technologies are recommended).

Measures include:

i) Loft insulation
ii) Draught proofing
iii) Cavity wall insulation
iv) Hot water tank insulation
v) Repairs of an existing herating system
vi) Gas, electric, oil central heating
vi) Conversion of a solid fuel fire to a glass-fronted fire

All successful grant applicant’s homes will be visited by a trained Technical Surveyor/Assessor, who will determine the full requirements of each individual property.

If you meet the following criteria then you may be eligible for the Warm Front Scheme.

1. Householders aged 60 or over in receipt of one or more of the following benefits:

* Income Support
* Council Tax Benefit
* Housing Benefit
* Job Seekers Allowance (income-based)
* Pension Credit
* Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

2. Householders with a child under 16, or pregnant women with maternity certificate MAT-B1, in receipt of one or more of the following benefits:

* Income Support
* Council Tax Benefit
* Housing Benefit
* Job Seekers Allowance (income-based)
* Pension Credit
* Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

3. Householders in receipt of one or more of the following benefits:

* Working Tax Credit (with an income of less than £16,040, which must include a disability element)
* Disability Living Allowance
* Child Tax Credit (with an income of less than £16,040)
* Housing Benefit (which must include a disability premium)
* Income Support (which must include a disability premium)
* Council Tax Benefit (which must include a disability premium)
* War Disablement Pension (which must include a mobility supplement or Constant Attendance Allowance)
* Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (which must include Constant Attendance Allowance)
* Attendance Allowance

If you think that you are eligible for Warm Front you should visit their website ,www.warmfront.co.uk, or call their enquiry line on 0800 316 2805 to see what help can be provided before you proceed with an application under the boiler scrappage scheme.

Please note that you can only apply for either the Warm Front scheme or the boiler scrappage scheme – not both.

2.Low Carbon Buildings Programme

If you are looking to replace your old boiler with a heat pump, biomass boiler, or solar hot water system then you may be eligible for a grant of up to £2500 towards installation. Visit the Low Carbon Buildings Programme website,www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk, for further details.

Please note that you can apply for both the Low Carbon Buildings Programme and the boiler scrappage scheme.

How will the Energy Saving Trust guard against fraud?

The Energy Saving Trust will monitor the scheme and any detected fraud will be reported and prosecuted.

The processes and procedures for monitoring the scheme are as follows:

* A voucher submitted for a claim must contain the customer’s and the installer’s signature. It must also include the GasSafe/MCS registration number of the installer.
* As a requirement of law any work undertaken on a gas boiler has to be registered with GasSafe as matter of course. Therefore, Energy Saving Trust will check periodically voucher claims against work registered with GasSafe. If the work has not be registered with GasSafe in due course this will be further investigated by the Energy Saving Trust and where necessary followed by a home visit to ensure the work has indeed been completed) In addition, a random selection of installations will be checked by the Energy Saving Trust through home visits to ensure a new boiler has been installed.
* The Energy Saving Trust will do a daily check if more than one voucher has been applied for a property. This will be done by monitoring postcode data. If multiple applications are detected the Energy Saving Trust will investigate further.
* In addition to the post installation audits, the Energy Saving Trust will carry out a small sample of pre-installation audits to confirm that the details on a customer’s application are correct. These will be carried out before a voucher is issued.

Filed under: Ecology

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