Home Upgrade Grant (HUG2) - ASHP and/or Solar available?

worlestone

We've been on the HUG2 journey for over a year now, qualified as rural, no gas, semi-detached property with old storage heaters and well under the income threshold.  We wanted solar PV and newer storage heaters, but were persuaded that an ASHP was the way forward...

However, our local authority has other ideas, due to location the installer said we needed to apply for planning permission, local authority has said they will refuse it, so we've withdrawn planning.  We've lost faith in the process and considering we would have so much disruption retrofitting radiators, pipes, floors up etc just don't want to go with an ASHP.

Is it possible to 'just' have solar PV through the HUG2?  I asked the grant provider 3 weeks ago, but no response. Anyone know whether it's possible?

Edit - I've just realised this is in the wrong part of the energy forum, but cannot work out how to move it... Moderator help please

MoneyGeoff

I tried to apply for HUG2 (rural, no gas, low income) but the scheme is closed now: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-upgrade-grant-phase-2

Perhaps you'll be OK since you applied before it closed?

I asked why it's closed and the council said they want to focus on processing of existing applicants before the deadline. In other words, their priority is to reduce their own workload rather than help residents or to reduce emissions.

worlestone

MoneyGeoff said:

I tried to apply for HUG2 (rural, no gas, low income) but the scheme is closed now: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-upgrade-grant-phase-2

Perhaps you'll be OK since you applied before it closed?

I asked why it's closed and the council said they want to focus on processing of existing applicants before the deadline. In other words, their priority is to reduce their own workload rather than help residents or to reduce emissions.

It does seem to be. I don't think they are even going to fund our application, which was approved earlier in the year as they have run out of money. Wish I'd saved the money to buy more electric

CFELH

I appreciate this is an old thread, but if the posters are still about, or others are considering the HUG scheme when it comes around again. Do your homework, read up on the process, ask questions and then ask again.  It may be free, but it 'can' also come at a cost if you're unlucky to be assigned one of the many incompetent installation companies or their subcontractors. 

The process is one of the most complex funding schemes ever to have been offered and is difficult for even those running the operation from the NetZeroHubs. As a result, the suggested remedies are modified each time it progresses through the system. The pyramid of principle installers and their many tiers of subcontractors leave the process open to pricing and spec modifications along the way.

In other words, it is open to major abuse. In the end, the customer (although on HUG 2, you're not referred to in these terms) can be better off sorting out your own heating system.

worlestone

Some feedback following our experience, which has now come to a conclusion...

We did indeed get our solar panels installed, a few hiccups, and left feeling a bit like second class citizens as 'we were getting it free, what's to complain about' attitude, though the actual installers were great.  After a lengthy delay... like 18 months and very last minute we were allowed to have our storage heaters upgraded to new Dimplex Quantums, installed last week.  We didn't get to see the specification from the survey and as a consequence had some last minute changes whilst the installers were on site, so if you are on the scheme, ask to see what they're going to install, it's your home!  Our installers had in my opinion got the specifications wrong, huge heaters downstairs where middle sized units would have done, a small unit on the landing replacing a much larger old heater and small units in the bedrooms.  The last minute was a realisation that the total draw from the heaters would blow out consumer unit! So bedroom heaters changed for panel heaters, which seems more sensible.

Happy so far Not least as it's an enormous cost saving for us, we've never benefitted from anything like this before