Funding for renewable technologies

Grants for householders in the UK

The Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP) offers grants for solar panels, ground source heat pumps and air source heat pumps.

The grants are available where the product and the installer are certified by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS).

PLEASE NOTE: Information from the Low Carbon Buildings Programme is subject to change. More information is available at the website for the Low Carbon Buildings Programme:

Website for the Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Applying for a grant

If you are applying for a grant for a Worcester product, you will need to use the relevant reference codes, listed below.

For solar thermal water heating

• ‘Phase One Stream 1’ for householders allows grants of up to £400 or 30% of the relevant eligible costs, whichever is the lower
• £2,500 grant cap per household but a mixture of technologies can be applied for
• 3 months to complete installation

We can confirm that Worcester solar thermal products are Solar Key Mark approved (under Bosch Thermotechnik GmbH) and accepted for grant funding by both the Microgeneration Certification Scheme and the Low Carbon Buildings Programme.

Reference codes for Worcester solar thermal products:
Manufacturer: Bosch Thermotechnik GmbH
FKC panels are listed as: Junkers FKC-1S/FKC-1W
FKC panels licence number: 011-7S767F
FKT panels are listed as: Junkers FKT-1S/FKT-1W
FKC panels licence number: 011-7S766F

For ground source heat pumps

• Phase One Stream 1 for householders allows grants of up to £1,200 or 30% of the relevant eligible costs, whichever is the lower
• £2,500 grant cap per household but more than one technology can be applied for
• 6 months to complete installation

Reference codes for Worcester ground source heat pumps:
Manufacturer: Bosch Thermotechnology Ltd (Worcester Bosch Group)
Greenstore 6 system is listed as: Greenstore System 6kW SP, cert number MCS HP0015/01
Greenstore 7 system is listed as: Greenstore System 7kW SP, cert number MCS HP0015/02
Greenstore 9 system is listed as: Greenstore System 9kW SP, cert number MCS HP0015/03
Greenstore 11 system is listed as: Greenstore System 11kW SP, cert number MCS HP0015/04
Greenstore 6 combi is listed as: Greenstore Combi 6kW SP, cert number MCS HP0015/05
Greenstore 7 combi is listed as: Greenstore Combi 7kW SP, cert number MCS HP0015/06
Greenstore 9 combi is listed as: Greenstore Combi 9kW SP, cert number MCS HP0015/07
Greenstore 11 combi is listed as: Greenstore Combi 6kW SP, cert number MCS HP0015/08

For Air to water heat pumps

• ‘Phase One Stream 1’ for householders allows grants of up to £900 or 30% of the relevant eligible costs, whichever is the lower
• £2,500 grant cap per household but a mixture of technologies can be applied for
• 6 months to complete installation

Reference codes for Worcester air to water heat pumps:
Manufacturer: Bosch Thermotechnology Ltd (Worcester Bosch Group)
Air to water heat pump 6kW is listed as: Greensource 6kW SP, MCS HP0015/09
Air to water heat pump 7kW is listed as: Greensource 7kW SP, MCS HP0015/10
Air to water heat pump 9.5kW is listed as: Greensource 9.5kW SP, MCS HP0015/11

Grants for Scotland only

For solar thermal and ground source heat pumps

Scottish Community Householder Renewables Initiative (SCHRI):

• Funding for householders set at 30% of the installation cost up to £4,000
• Residents in Scotland can chose to have a SCHRI or a LCBP grant
• Applications limited to one grant per technology from either of these programmes
• More information is available at the website for the Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Website for the Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Grants for Northern Ireland only

Action Renewables
The Action Renewables website offers advice and grant programmes and is a lead partner in the Renewable Energy Installer Acadamy (REIA) which is a training and registration body.

Action Renewables’ information on grants

Planning permission for solar panels

From 6th April 2008 new UK Government legislation rules that, unless within a conservation area or on a listed building, the installation will not require planning permission and will be classed as a permitted development.

More information is available on the websites for Communities and Local Government and the Energy Savings Trust website.

Website for Communities and Local Government

Energy Savings Trust’s advice on planning permission

Building Regulations for solar panels

Building Control supervision may be required for some types of roof, particularly where load-bearing capacity is in question or where considerable ageing of structure is evident.

VAT

All professionally installed renewable technologies, including solar thermal and heat pumps, qualify for a reduced rate of VAT (5%). This reduced VAT rate applies to components and installation costs.

Solar panels, ground source heat pumps, air source heat pumps and controls for central heating and hot water are included in the list of products qualifying for lower rates of VAT.

If the installer is VAT registered, the scheme works as follows:

• The installer purchases the equipment from the merchant who will add VAT
• The installer recovers the VAT from H.M. Customs & Excise in the normal way
• The installer charges the customer 5% on the supply and installation of the qualifying equipment
• The installer pays 5% to H.M. Customs and Excise
• The net cost to the installer is nil

Visit HM Revenue and Customs website to find out more about reduced VAT on energy-saving materials.

HM Revenue and Customs website

Further information

The UK Government’s planning information portal

Click on parts of a virtual house and the renewable heating appliances within it to get the latest planning information.

Visit the planning portal

The Energy Savings Trust

The Energy Saving Trust offers free, impartial, expert advice about home energy efficiency and local grant schemes.

To contact your local Energy Savings Trust advice centre call 0800 512 012 or visit their website.

Energy Saving Trust website