AQW 8130/17-22

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 05/10/2020
Answered On Date: 19/10/2020
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities whether she is working towards introducing a scheme similar to the Green Homes Grant in England.

Answer:

The Department of Finance has advised me the British Treasury has indicated that funding for a Green Homes Grant scheme, is to be found from existing budgets for 2020-21. This means that there is no additional funding for the Executive this year. I will continue to keep options under review.

However, my Department currently funds two grant Schemes aimed at reducing fuel poverty by increasing the energy efficiency of households; the Affordable Warmth Scheme and the Boiler Replacement Scheme.

Since the introduction of the Affordable Warmth Scheme in September 2014 a total of 34,683 energy efficiency measures have been installed in 21,027 homes, at a cost of £78.3m. A total of 37,491 boilers have been replaced under the Boiler Replacement Scheme since its introduction in 2012, at a total cost of £20.9m.