Eligibility Criteria For Heat Pump (etc) Grant

lukey105

Hi everyone

Would love anyone's input / first hand experience of getting on: free boiler scheme, first time central heating grant, free insulation scheme, air source heat pump grant.

We are buying an old 'doer upper' house and are wondering what, if any, we may be able to apply for. House has an EER rating of 41

Thanks in advance !

squirrelpie

Sorry but what do you mean by "EER rating" in this context?

lukey105

The Energy Efficiency Rating that the house we are buying currently has 👍️

born_again

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81994270#Comment_81994270

Often refered as EPC.

Reed_Richards

Well no, the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) gives a rating of A (best) to G (worst). I have no idea what an EER rating of 41 means and whether that is good or bad. @born_again?

QrizB

Well no, the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) gives a rating of A (best) to G (worst).

The EPC also gives a number from 1-100 (higher numbers being better). I'm pretty sure this number is the EER that the OP refers to.

Edit: see example EPC below:

41 would seem to be a E, so not great.

(Second edit as I'd originally picked a non-domestic EPC, which uses a different scale!)

MWT

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6667774/eligibility-criteria-for-heat-pump-etc-grant

So should we assume from the list you gave that there is currently no central heating in the house at all?

Some of the things you have listed have specific benefit requirements as well, so the answer is going to depend on the benefit status of those in the household and potentially what is shown on the EPC as well by way of recommended improvements…

Reed_Richards

The EPC also gives a number from 1-100 (higher numbers being better). I'm pretty sure this number is the EER that the OP refers to.

That makes good sense and my EPC from 2018 states that "the average energy efficiency rating for a dwelling in England and Wales is band D (rating 60). But the 2020 version says instead:

For properties in England and Wales:

• the average energy rating is D
• the average energy score is 60

so the number has changed from a rating to a score!

tfhnota

The Local Grant for people on household income of less than 35k and epc of D or worse, or similar grant if on certain benefits, opens the possibility of free solar/battery/heat pump install run by councils but usually offloaded to energy agent (follow links on council site). If receiving benefits then the council usually front-ends it. Heat pumps have a separate grant if replacing gas, I think there is similar if replacing electric and even better grant for oil powered boilers. Some energy companies offer grants but make up their own criteria. You may be in a catch 22 situation, any non-grant improvements you make get the EPC uprated and stop you getting the grants, but if you wait a year or two to get the local grant and they run out of money then that time will have been wasted. Also new ait-to-air heat pump grant (similar to air-conditioner in format) of £2500 due soon, which may be doable if you have existing immersion heater etc as it is for warming the house only. Overpricing of (air to water) heat pump installs does offset the £7500/9000 grant somewhat so tread with care.

squirrelpie

Also new ait-to-air heat pump grant (similar to air-conditioner in format) of £2500 due soon

I think it's already available, no?

Edit to add: I see that on the MCS site it says

"Air-to-Air Heat Pumps

"There are currently no installers certified for this technology.

"Air-to-air heat pumps are a new technology that will be available to installers later this year. Please check back soon for updates."

It's news to me that air-to-air heat pumps are new technology. I must have been imagining all the ones I've seen elsewhere over many years! So does that mean the grant isn't available also?

lukey105

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81994353#Comment_81994353

Hi all thanks for the feedback

EPC is E (by 1 point ! or it would be F)

Trying to see if a house with an EPC score like this, that has no central heating, would still be eligible (both working professionals, no benefits etc)

Anyone been in this position before?