Free or cheap loans for solar panels among key measures in Government's 'Warm Homes Plan' – Martin L

matt_drummer

I thought we were broke!

Where is the money coming from to pay for this?

andrewmp

DAVEMCFC said:

The news mentioned that anyone with a household income of under 35k will be eligible for help. What happens if you have zero income, but 35k in savings?

What if you earn more than 35k but also claim UC?

QrizB

matt_drummer said:

I thought we were broke!
Where is the money coming from to pay for this?

The headline scheme is a loan that you pay back. Relatively cheap for the taxpayer.

tfhnota

Also incorporated the other stuff they have already announced such as Local Grant and heat pump grants as part of the total so not clear how much actual new money there is, nor when it will be available. 

debitcardmayhem

QrizB said:

matt_drummer said:

I thought we were broke!
Where is the money coming from to pay for this?

The headline scheme is a loan that you pay back. Relatively cheap for the taxpayer.

Only if relatively few people don’t default!

QrizB

debitcardmayhem said:

QrizB said:

matt_drummer said:

I thought we were broke!
Where is the money coming from to pay for this?

The headline scheme is a loan that you pay back. Relatively cheap for the taxpayer.

Only if relatively few people don’t default!

That's why I said "relatively"

It's really just an official encouragement, since a moderately large proportion of UK households could already finance the cost of solar PV using zero-rate credit cards if they so chose.

matt_drummer

QrizB said:

matt_drummer said:

I thought we were broke!
Where is the money coming from to pay for this?

The headline scheme is a loan that you pay back. Relatively cheap for the taxpayer.

Yes, that may be so.

But the only interest I have seen so far is from people looking for a gift rather than a loan.

How much has been allocated to gifts and how is that being funded?

tfhnota

If you can distribute millions of solar/battery mini-power stations throughout the country, it will have a transformative effect on the Grid (and save money that way), and also make it difficult for potential foes to take out in event of war, so whilst it is a "gift" for many it is also a major benefit for the country, and a trivial amount in terms of overall spending (welfare spending could possibly be reduced to reflect lower outgoing of those with solar/batteries)

QrizB

matt_drummer said:

QrizB said:

matt_drummer said:

I thought we were broke!
Where is the money coming from to pay for this?

The headline scheme is a loan that you pay back. Relatively cheap for the taxpayer.

Yes, that may be so.
But the only interest I have seen so far is from people looking for a gift rather than a loan.
How much has been allocated to gifts and how is that being funded?

Have you read the MSE article at the head of this thread?

matt_drummer

QrizB said:

matt_drummer said:

QrizB said:

matt_drummer said:

I thought we were broke!
Where is the money coming from to pay for this?

The headline scheme is a loan that you pay back. Relatively cheap for the taxpayer.

Yes, that may be so.
But the only interest I have seen so far is from people looking for a gift rather than a loan.
How much has been allocated to gifts and how is that being funded?

Have you read the MSE article at the head of this thread?

I have.

It says £15 billion of measures

It also says

Low-income households in England to get free energy efficiency improvements

The Government says it will continue to fund the existing Warm Homes: Local Grant. This allows some households in England earning under £36,000 a year (or on certain benefits) to get up to £30,000 worth of energy efficiency measures for free, including insulation, solar panels and heat pumps.

The separate 'Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund', which offers grants to housing associations and local authorities, will also be boosted. Over time, the two schemes will be combined – more detail on this will be published in the spring, the Government says.

It does not say how much of the £15 billion is allocated to this.

Is it nearly all of it seeing as loans would be repaid?