The poor take up of the Government’s Green Homes Grant scheme (GHGS) demonstrates the need for a longer-term strategy to upgrade our existing homes to make them greener and more energy efficient, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in response to disappointing GHGS statistics published today.
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “The Government will not succeed in achieving its Green Industrial Revolution with a short-term plan like the Green Homes Grant scheme, which today’s figures show is putting off both builders and consumers. The Government needs to think bigger and bolder and back a long-term National Retrofit Strategy, that sets out an ambitious delivery plan to cut carbon emissions from all our homes, and the Budget is the perfect opportunity to do so.”
Berry concluded: “The Government will clearly be disappointed that a scheme designed to create 100,000 new jobs has fewer than 1,000 building companies on board. A flash in the pan policy doesn’t give small builders the confidence they need to invest in the necessary accreditations and training. That household applications for grants peaked in October is concerning and suggests the negative press around this scheme is taking its toll.”
Notes to editors
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) is the largest trade association in the UK construction industry representing thousands of firms in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Established in 1941 to protect the interests of small and medium-sized (SME) construction firms, the FMB is independent and non-profit making, lobbying for members’ interests at both the national and local level.
The FMB is a source of knowledge, professional advice and support for its members, providing a range of modern and relevant business building services to help them succeed. The FMB is committed to raising quality in the construction industry and offers a free Find a Builder service to consumers.
