What is the Boiler Scheme for a Replacement Grant and Scrappage?
In the year 2013, the government of the United Kingdom enacted the Energy Company Obligation Scheme. This Scheme places an obligation upon major energy companies to fund the replacement of old inefficient boilers in vulnerable households with new energy-efficient boilers. The companies obliged to fund the Scheme include EDF Energy, Npower, British Gas, SSE, Eon and Scottish Power. These funds cover the price of a new boiler, the installation of a new boiler and the entire application process. Homeowners who meet the criteria laid down under the Scheme can avail all of these services without having to spend a single penny!
Why is the government replacing old boilers?
The ECO Scheme of the government has an environmental agenda. It seeks to reduce the Carbon footprint of the UK. Old boilers release large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. Under the government boiler grant Scheme, the government provides homeowners across the UK with A-grade boilers. These boilers are over 90% energy efficient and help reduce the Carbon footprint of households by a large margin.
Who qualifies for replacement under the ECO Scheme?
There are a few criteria to be met with to qualify for the replacement of your old inefficient boiler under the government boiler grant. The prerequisites to qualify for the grant are that firstly, you should be a homeowner, and secondly, the boiler you are seeking to replace must be at least seven years old. In addition to these, if you receive certain government benefits, you will be eligible for free boilers under the ECO Scheme. The government benefits include Child Tax Credits, Pension Credits, Working Tax Credits, Universal Credits, Income-related JSA and ESA.
How do homeowners benefit from the free boiler grant?
In addition to the fact that the free boiler grant funds the entire process involved in replacing your old boiler, it also helps cut down on expenses after installation of the new boiler. Boilers supplied under the ECO Scheme are A-grade boilers that have a very high energy efficiency rate. For every £1 spent on the boiler after its instalment, over 90p is used to keep your home warm whereas old boilers have shown to have 60% energy-efficiency rate. This means that only 60p of every £1 spent is utilised and about 40p is wasted. Such wastage amounts to over £300 annually. A new boiler under the ECO Scheme can help you save up on this expense. Moreover, the energy efficiency of the boilers under the Scheme also indicates a lighter Carbon footprint. Homeowners across the UK can thus contribute towards the battle against global warming.
What are the steps involved in replacement?
The first step is to determine your eligibility for the new boiler grant. Once this is determined, the grant is applied for, and a local expert is contacted for survey and installation. Service providers take over this responsibility when you fill out a simple online application!