LCBP Grant Scheme Suspended Until May

DTI suspends Low Carbon Buildings Programme while they try to assess how to run it better

The DTI have decided to suspend the Low Carbon Buildings Programme (1) (LCBP) until at least May 2007 while they try and get it to work for homeowners.

In March 2007 we reported how the allocation of LCBP grants allocation had become a fiasco (2) with all available funds allocated within a few hours at the start of each month. Those unsuccessful in their applications in one month had to reapply the next and in following months starting from scratch each time. Since then the Chancellor's Budget on 21st March has added Ł6 million to the Ł12 million (3) (PDF) already allocated to the scheme which is set to run until mid-2008.

At a meeting with renewable energy firms, the Energy Minister Lord Truscott announced the decision that the DTI would be shutting down the grants scheme until "some time in May" while steps were taken to assess a better way to run it. Those at the meeting alleged that they were warning that grumbling to the press would lead to money not flowing for several more months.

According to the Low Carbon Buildings Programme website (4) - "The householder scheme is to be re-shaped to make best use of the extra funding and there will be no allocation of funds in April. Proposals for a re-shaped programme will be announced on this website. Please check the website regularly for updates."

RE Firms Suffering

Renewable energy installation firms have been hit very hard by the news with staff being laid off or moved to other non-renewable energy projects. With grants worth up to 50% of the installation costs of a solar system, the demand from domestic home owners has tumbled crippling many in this fledgling industry.

Web Link References

(1) http://www.reuk.co.uk/Low-Carbon-Buildings-Programme.htm
(2) http://www.reuk.co.uk/LCBP-Grants-Fiasco.htm
(3) http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/uploads/documents/housingbuildings/Extra%206m%20for%20green%20householders.pdf
(4) http://www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk/home/

Article from REUK.co.uk:
http://www.reuk.co.uk/LCBP-Grant-Scheme-Suspended-Until-May.htm
Published: 24th September 2014
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