Residents and landlords in Salford have until Christmas to apply for funding of up to £10,000 from the government to make their homes greener.
Applications for the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery scheme can be submitted until the end of the month, providing eligible residents with funding to install energy-efficient measures to reduce energy bills and help the city in its plans to become carbon neutral by 2038.
Eligible applicants must own their own home, have a combined gross annual household income of less than £30,000, and have a low energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of E or below.
Landlords can also access funding covering two thirds of the cost of eligible improvements, with the government providing a maximum contribution of £5,000.
Improvements could include the installation of external wall insulation, air source heat pumps, underfloor insulation, room in roof insulation, window and door replacements, smart heating controls and solar PV panels.
Cllr Mike McCusker, Lead Member for Planning and Sustainable Development, said: ‘Salford has been committed to reducing our carbon emissions for many years and the recent COP26 summit in Glasgow reminded us all of the urgent need to take collective action to tackle the climate emergency and make our city a greener place.
‘Emissions from our homes make up almost one third of the city’s carbon footprint – that’s why we need to take advantage of any support we can in order to make our homes more environmentally friendly and these grants could be just the ticket to cutting energy bills, keeping your home warm through the winter whilst also helping us to build a greener Salford. I would urge all those who are eligible to apply before Christmas as these grants are not to be missed out on.’
The scheme is being run by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and delivered by E.ON through the Local Authority Delivery Scheme. Potential applicants can discuss the funding with staff at a pop-up in Salford Shopping Centre on Friday 17 December between 9am and 4pm.
In related news, NewStart speaks to John Bellamy, the newly appointed Category Manager for Construction at Procurement for Housing, about the benefits of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and what is stopping social housing providers from using them.
Photo by Greg Rosenke