14:32 Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat)

The green homes grant voucher scheme was introduced in July 2020 under the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The scheme was part of the Department’s green recovery from the pandemic and promised to contribute to the goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Some £1.5 billion of funding was made available by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to offer homeowners the opportunity to reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency. Individual homeowners could apply for up to £5,000 of funding to cover two thirds of the cost of eligible energy efficiency measures.

There are lots of good people out there like Tom trying to make efforts to help reduce their carbon emissions and contribute to net zero, and they have fallen foul through no fault of their own. Tom applied for a voucher through a scheme that would cover two thirds of the cost of the upgrades and put in £1,000 of his own hard-earned money, too. After receiving a list of Government-approved installers, Tom and his family chose one that they believed met the standards to carry out the works.

It is key that people put their faith in the Government’s recommendation. These were good people who wanted to work hard towards the goal of net zero and save a little money along the way. They should not be left thousands of pounds out of pocket because of it. It is crucial that we not only provide them with the necessary support, but look to the future to make sure that we prevent this happening again with any other schemes.

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