3
365drills
Report in full
More than 100,000 ageing British boilers will be scrapped and exchanged for newer, more energy-efficient models, under £50 million plans unveiled by the Chancellor.
The scheme, similar to the car scrappage programme launched last April, was contained in today's Pre-Budget Report.
It will offer grants worth up to £400 for 125,000 households with old, inefficient boiler models to replace them with new, energy-saving equipment.
There are 4.5 million households that could apply for this.
By replacing an older boiler with a new, top-rated condensing boiler and better controls, household bills can be cut by up to a quarter, according to the Energy Saving Trust (EST). In a family home, that could mean a saving of £235 a year.
Gas boilers also account for 60 per cent of the carbon emissions from an average gas-heated home and the scheme could save 1.26 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year for each affected home.
It will be open to households with so-called G-rated boilers, which are less than 70 per cent efficient, if they replace them with an A-rated boiler.
The programme is also expected to deliver a boost for British industry. About 60 per cent of boilers used in the UK are manufactured in this country and 120,000 boiler engineers will also benefit.
Many have been struggling because of a decline in orders that has resulted from the slowdown in the property market.
However, the scheme will have only a limited impact on the market for boiler replacement.
About 600,000 new condensing boilers are already installed every year in the UK without government support.
The idea for the boiler scrappage scheme
was initiated by Mick Williams, a plumber’s merchant in Hampshire. Mr Williams started the Reheat Britain campaign in July with a simple petition on the No 10 website, inspired by the Government's car scrappage scheme.
The Reheat Britain campaign has since attracted wide-ranging support from business, politics and the green movement, including the campaign manager, Sian Berry, the Green Party’s 2008 candidate for Mayor of London.
Mr Williams said: "It’s amazing to think that just six months ago, this was an idea from one plumber's merchant in Hampshire and soon up to 100,000 families will be benefiting from it. It just goes to show what can be achieved when you decide to get off your bum and make something happen.
"The best thing about the campaign is how business and the green movement came together to get it done. British business cares about environmental and social issues and is ready to use its knowhow to take these problems on."
Alistair Darling also announced that householders with wind turbines or solar panels on their homes who sell additional power back into the grid would receive an average of £900 a year under the “feed-in tariff” scheme, which starts in April — a payment that would be tax-free.
He announced an extra £200 million for domestic energy-efficieny programmes through measures such as insulation to support 75,000 households.
“We must all become more energy-efficient and cut emissions, as well as household bills,” he said.
More than 100,000 ageing British boilers will be scrapped and exchanged for newer, more energy-efficient models, under £50 million plans unveiled by the Chancellor.
The scheme, similar to the car scrappage programme launched last April, was contained in today's Pre-Budget Report.
It will offer grants worth up to £400 for 125,000 households with old, inefficient boiler models to replace them with new, energy-saving equipment.
There are 4.5 million households that could apply for this.
By replacing an older boiler with a new, top-rated condensing boiler and better controls, household bills can be cut by up to a quarter, according to the Energy Saving Trust (EST). In a family home, that could mean a saving of £235 a year.
Gas boilers also account for 60 per cent of the carbon emissions from an average gas-heated home and the scheme could save 1.26 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year for each affected home.
It will be open to households with so-called G-rated boilers, which are less than 70 per cent efficient, if they replace them with an A-rated boiler.
The programme is also expected to deliver a boost for British industry. About 60 per cent of boilers used in the UK are manufactured in this country and 120,000 boiler engineers will also benefit.
Many have been struggling because of a decline in orders that has resulted from the slowdown in the property market.
However, the scheme will have only a limited impact on the market for boiler replacement.
About 600,000 new condensing boilers are already installed every year in the UK without government support.
The idea for the boiler scrappage scheme
was initiated by Mick Williams, a plumber’s merchant in Hampshire. Mr Williams started the Reheat Britain campaign in July with a simple petition on the No 10 website, inspired by the Government's car scrappage scheme.
The Reheat Britain campaign has since attracted wide-ranging support from business, politics and the green movement, including the campaign manager, Sian Berry, the Green Party’s 2008 candidate for Mayor of London.
Mr Williams said: "It’s amazing to think that just six months ago, this was an idea from one plumber's merchant in Hampshire and soon up to 100,000 families will be benefiting from it. It just goes to show what can be achieved when you decide to get off your bum and make something happen.
"The best thing about the campaign is how business and the green movement came together to get it done. British business cares about environmental and social issues and is ready to use its knowhow to take these problems on."
Alistair Darling also announced that householders with wind turbines or solar panels on their homes who sell additional power back into the grid would receive an average of £900 a year under the “feed-in tariff” scheme, which starts in April — a payment that would be tax-free.
He announced an extra £200 million for domestic energy-efficieny programmes through measures such as insulation to support 75,000 households.
“We must all become more energy-efficient and cut emissions, as well as household bills,” he said.
