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Following the news in the Chancellor’s announcement last week of the Government’s new Green Homes Grant Scheme, the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) received many calls and emails from anxious Members with some serious concerns regarding the scheme and its impact on their businesses.

Having listened to Members’ concerns, the GGF, as the industry’s main trade body, was quickly in contact with the Government department of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). Ongoing communications with BEIS on the matter have followed as the GGF aims to get more details of this major Government initiative.

The GGF asked five key questions and received the following answers from BEIS.

GGF: Is the Green Homes Grant Scheme going to include energy-efficient windows and doors?

BEIS: Yes, but as part of a wider refurbishment of homes aimed at achieving EPC Level C. The aim of the scheme is to significantly improve energy and heat efficiency, which can only be achieved by a number of measures.

GGF: Is there any possibility of the scheme being brought forward from September to say early August? As many companies in our sector are concerned that the two or three month delay in orders could create a hiatus and seriously affect their business and cash flow following the COVID-19 impact on their businesses.

BEIS: It’s highly unlikely that the scheme will be brought forward.

GGF: It has been mentioned that consumers will be able to claim for vouchers and then pass them on to “approved installers”. Can you clarify how the scheme is going to be administered and what the criteria would be for “approved installers”?

BEIS: We do not have further details of the criteria at this stage. However, it’s fair to assume installers would need to be qualified and registered with a relevant body or scheme to demonstrate they are competent to perform the work and ensure appropriate consumer protection.

GGF: Who is actually going to administer the scheme?

BEIS: Funding will be provided to BEIS, and administered through the Simple Energy Advice website.

GGF: Can you provide any information on the application criteria for homeowners? For example, will be means tested? Is there a timeframe for application and deadlines for work to be carried out following successful application?

BEIS: Landlords or homeowners in England only will be able to apply to the scheme. It will be means-tested, with part-funding for measures covering up to two-thirds of the cost, subject to a ceiling of £5K for those not on low incomes, but the full cost of these measures subject to a ceiling of £10K available for low-income households. Applications will be through the Simple Energy Advice website, and vouchers will be issued to homeowners if their application is successful. It is expected that details of the timeframe within which this works needs to be done and published before the scheme starts in September.

On receiving these answers from Government, John Agnew, GGF Managing Director commented:

“Having heard some more of the detail, we are now cautiously optimistic about this proposed new scheme. On the day of the announcement, we listened to Members’ reactions and we fully share their concerns. Although we are pleased the Government is responding to our queries fairly quickly, we are still uncertain about the real impact of this scheme and its potential benefits to our Members.

We have already received numerous reports of consumers putting off orders until the scheme is launched in September, so they can benefit from the funding. The scheme’s timing is clearly creating a hiatus in trade and is seriously disturbing news for the sector.”

“We appreciate this scheme is part of the Government’s long term plan to make existing properties more energy efficient and this is welcomed, but with the COVID-19 pandemic still with us and its negative impact on business and consumer confidence, the last thing we need is another damaging blow that could create cash flow problems and an employment crisis in the industry.”

With more reports of customer cancellations, the GGF has since written directly to Cabinet Ministers and Junior Ministers in the Government departments of BEIS, The Treasury and the Prime Minister’s Office, urging them to take immediate action.

The GGF has also issued a template letter to all its Members asking them to write to their local MPs to increase traction with Government and to try and influence change.

The template letter not only highlights the issue of the timing of the scheme and the damaging impact it is having on the industry, but it also proposes solutions, such as fast tracking the scheme or allowing homeowners to claim funding retrospectively. Both proposed solutions could retrieve the situation. 

On Friday 10 July, the GGF attended the Government Work Stream on Repair Maintenance and Improvement (RMI) – a video-meeting hosted by BEIS and attended by home improvement trade bodies to help shape the strategies and policies to enable the industry to recover from the COVID-19 crisis.

Following the meeting, John Agnew commented, “At our video meeting with Government, I once again robustly conveyed our feelings on the timings of the Green Homes Grant Scheme and underlined how it is negatively affecting the home improvement sector. We now await the Government’s response to our latest questions and any further news we receive will be cascaded to Members as soon as possible. In the meantime we will continue to help our Members through this extremely difficult time.”

The GGF recently attended (via video call) the Government Work Stream on RMI (Repair Maintenance and Improvement) and raised several issues on behalf of GGF Members and the wider industry.

The main areas of discussion were on rebuilding consumer confidence, reducing the rate of VAT to incentivise homeowners, re-using derelict/empty domestic and commercial properties for housing and the issue of lacked of skilled labour and training for the construction sector. All of the areas covered in the recent work stream were relevant to the GGF’s campaigns.

Attending the meeting to represent the GGF and the glass, glazing and fenestration sectors was John Agnew, GGF Managing Director who commented, “We aired the industry’s issues around areas such as rate of VAT, skills, training and consumer confidence. In the course of the meeting, we recommended that the Government reduces VAT from 20% to 5% on energy efficient glazing products and installation and that this should be given at least three years to run, to show its true effectiveness on the market. We also recommended greater support for training and initiatives to attract people into our industry. On the consumer confidence issue, we welcome any government support to help increase the homeowners’ confidence and spend to boost the industry and the overall economy.”   

The next meeting of the RMI Work Stream is on the Friday 10^th July and the GGF will be attending to represent Members and the wider industry.

In addition to the Government Work Streams, the GGF also raised industry specific issues at recently attended video meetings with; BEIS (Department of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy), Construction Products Association Trade Associations Council Meeting, the National Home Improvement Council Strategic Forum and the British Energy Efficiency Federation.

The GGF will continue to attend all relevant meetings with Government Departments and Officials as well as regular meetings with relevant construction bodies.

GGF COVID-19 Survey

The GGF is using the collective data from the GGF Coping with COVID-19 Members’ Survey, to support Members’ issues and concerns made in discussions with Government and with other relevant trade organisations.

The COVID-19 Survey takes just 5 minutes and is completely anonymous. Only collective data will be used. 

You can take part in this survey and contribute your views by following this link. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/D2LP2TJ

Following reported confusion in the Glass & Glazing industry last week around the issue of whether or not companies can work in domestic properties, it was incumbent on the GGF as the industry’s leading trade body to contact Government with some of the key questions raised by GGF Members.

Throughout the COVD-19 crisis the GGF has always been strictly aligned to the Government Guidance and Public Health England (PHE) Guidelines. These guidelines were published on the GGF website on 8 April and cited in numerous subsequent GGF articles which included a direct link through to the Government web page on Social Distancing Guidance which can be read here.

The GGF has been in correspondence with Government since the start of the lockdown and has been careful to convey an accurate and credible position based on the information received from Government. In addition, the GGF has also been careful not to get embroiled in speculation and interpretations, which have led to unfounded rumours and misinformation causing reported confusion within the industry. These are serious issues and poor advice could in the worst case lead to loss of life and companies potentially facing very difficult legal positions.

The GGF position remains, as it has been since the outbreak of COVID-19 and that is; that companies must follow Government and Public Health England (PHE) Guidance on working in construction and in people’s homes and if working in Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales to follow devolved Governments’ guidance, before taking any decision to carry out installation, repair or maintenance work.

In the last few days, the GGF has sought and gained further clarity from the Government Department of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and reiterates that companies must follow the latest Government guidance.

• In unoccupied properties; the Government advises that work can continue, only if it is safe to do so but companies must adhere to the Government Social Distancing guidance, which can be found here.
• In occupied properties, the Government guidance emphasizes that only essential repair or maintenance work should be carried out and, only if it is safe to do so and is carried out strictly in line with the Government Social Distancing guidance which can be read here.

Note: Essential can be defined as; work required on a building where the occupants’ health and safety could be at risk. For example, this could be a damaged window or door, or a window or door that may be beyond repair and require replacement. 

In relation to any essential work involved in a dwelling, this should only be carried out with the prior willing agreement of the occupants/owners.

• Work that should not be undertaken includes non-essential home improvements inside occupied properties. This could include work such as upgrading windows and doors, glass interiors (such as screens, partitions, kitchen counter tops, splashbacks etc.), decorative glazing and roof lights (unless deemed an essential replacement).
• Work outside the home on land surrounding the property, the Government guidance shows that this can be carried out if it is safe to do so and in line with Government Guidelines on Social Distancing. This could include conservatories, porches, orangeries, extensions, replacement roofline and glass and garden structures.
• New build and housebuilding, the Government guidance shows this can continue, if it is safe to do so and in line with Government Guidance on Social Distancing and the Site Operating Procedures (SOP) published by the Construction Leadership Council. (The latest version of SOP was published on the GGF website on 15 April you can read this document here)
• Manufacturing and processing, the Government advice shows that this can continue, if it is safe to do so and in line with Government Guidance on Social Distancing and guidance on the correct Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). The GGF published this specific guidance on 16 April, it can be found here.

The GGF asks that all companies refer to the Government guidelines in conjunction with the above clarification, prior to taking the responsible decision to undertake work or not.

The GGF emphasizes that health & safety comes first and that prior to making any decision, it is advised that all companies undertake a proper health and safety risk assessment for each individual job. The GGF published guidance on health and safety risk assessments on 7 April, you can read this here.

In addition the GGF urges all companies, prior to undertaking any work, to check with their insurers that they are covered for Public Health and Health and Safety Employer liability.

The GGF also advises that if work is undertaken, that companies must ensure their employees have suitable PPE as outlined in the Government Guidance.  

At present, there is no set date for when the Social Distancing guidelines will change or will be eased. The GGF will continue to update Members and the industry as and when information from Government is received. It is in anticipated that there will be further Government announcements this week on Social Distancing in the workplace.

To see all the COVID-19 updates on the GGF website please visit: https://www.ggf.org.uk/category/covid-19/