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The Government has announced cashback deals for householders who intend to carry out energy-saving home improvements, under the Green Deal, from January next year.

Money will be made available on a first-come, first-served basis so providers should encourage customers to take up the deal sooner rather than later, in order to take advantage of this deal.

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Government Energy Secretary Ed Davey said “The Green Deal also presents a great opportunity for businesses of all sizes to take advantage of this transforming market – and now is a critical time. Whatever your business does in this sector, the Green Deal will have an impact. So I say to businesses large and small – gear up, get training and get ready to take advantage of the Green Deal.”

Companies and Individuals who are interested in becoming authorised assessors and installers under the Green Deal Scheme can find out more by following this link to the Green Deal Oversight & Registration Body website or through one of the certification bodies.

Further details are available on the DECC website.

Hopefully this initiative will encourage consumers to commission work for the providers which in turn will save them them money on their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient.

To find out more about Green Deal and service providers click here.

For other Green Deal blog posts from DIY Doctor click here.

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Click on the image below to claim your free tickets to the South West Homebuilding and Renovating Show held at the Bath and West Showground in Somerset this weekend 17-18 November 2012.

We are not presenting at this event – but if you look carefully you might spot the DIY Doctor, Mike Edwards, or his team in the crowds and also in the audience at some of the presentations.

This is what the show promises:

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The Government is pushing the Green Deal as a way of reducing our energy usage (and therefore our bills) as consumers. It also wants us to become much more aware of our buying power, advising consumers to use comparison and switching information to get the best deal on our fuel. Energy Secretary Edward Davey said: “With prices rising and temperatures dropping, we want to make sure we are doing all we can to help vulnerable householders keep warm this winter.

There will be £40 million available in a competition to reduce fuel bills and increase energy efficiency. The competition, run by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), has three strands, each with a separate pot of money up for grabs:

• £25million to help householders keep warm this winter

Local councils in England can bid for up to £25 million to help improve thermal efficiency of homes in their area. This is aimed at helping low income and vulnerable people stay warm over the winter and aims to help cut heating costs by installing efficient new (and replacement) boilers plus loft and cavity wall insulation.

Davey states “This funding will put local councils at the heart of action to get energy bills down, for instance helping low income householders upgrade old inefficient heating systems and insulate draughty homes”.

• £10 million to kick start Green Deal projects

£10 million is being made available for Green Deal ‘pioneer’ projects. Councils in England can apply to use this money for schemes aimed at promoting the Green Deal. It could include whole house retrofits and community engagement events to raise awareness of what can be done to improve energy efficiency. This Pioneer Places scheme builds on the investment made in seven Green Deal Low Carbon Cities, read more about his on our blog.

• ‘Cheaper Energy Together’: £5 million to set up collective switching schemes

This aims to encourage groups to bilk-buy their energy. Councils and third sector organisations in England, Scotland and Wales can take advantage of this initiative by setting up local collective switching schemes. Collective purchasing and switching enables consumers to group together (using a trusted third party) to use market power when negotiating lower energy bills.

Davey explains  “As well as helping even more councils showcase the benefits of energy efficiency, this funding will support the launch of initiatives to enable local residents to save money by clubbing together to get a better energy deal.”

Potential bidders can apply for money under all of the competitions using a single application form. Each bid will be judged separately using a range of criteria including: impact on fuel poverty; value for money; and the potential for generating further investment in the future.

The closing date for applications is 30 November 2012.

Find out more about energy efficient products on our Green Living section which we have produced in conjunction with our partners Be Energy Smart.

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From January next year householders will be able to claim cashback for energy-saving Home Improvements . The Government is investing hundreds of pounds to kick-start the Green Deal Scheme in England and Wales.

Money will be released on a first come first served basis so if you are intending to make these sorts of improvements to your home under the Green Deal it would be a good idea to start the assessment process early with a Green Deal Supplier.

Read more about our partner Be Energy Smart on our Green Living section.

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Ed Davey the Government Energy Secretary said: “The Green Deal will provide unprecedented choice for consumers wanting to improve their homes and make them more energy efficient. This cash back offer will help get the Green Deal off to a flying start.

If you are not sure what the Green Deal is then click through to our Project Page on the Green Deal to understand more about it.

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People tend to make a big fuss over the security of their homes. From actively refusing to buy a house in a certain area, to installing cameras around the perimeter of their homes, there’s a whole world of people aiming to protect their home. But why should you go about doing the same? Well here’s just three reasons why you might consider it

Keeping people out

Providing you don’t have a storage locker somewhere with everything you belong placed inside of it, there’s a good chance that your home is currently protecting nearly everything you own, from your car if you have a garage to your family, TV, clothing, computer, phone and, well, everything really. Good home security not only keeps unwanted intruders from your home, but also acts as an instant deterrent to those looking for somewhere easy to break in to.

Keeping (little) people in

We all know how kids are, they’re tiny explorers, looking to test the limits of everything around them, find every nook and poke their fingers in every hole. As essential as this is to the development of a child, it can also lead to problems of security. Kids are very prone to unlocking doors and windows, and sometimes even leaving the house without you knowing at all, a terrifying thought to any parent, I’m sure you’ll agree

Resale value and insurance

Homes aren’t just homes, they’re also investments. Having your home broken in to not only costs you in repairs and replacements but also in the longer term when it comes to selling. By having your home secure, you’re ensuring the market value of your home will stay on point, and not only that, some insurers take in to account how well you’ve secured your home, and can lower your home insurance costs to take in to account this change.

These are just but a few reasons why securing your home, but there are a great deal more, most of which you probably know yourself. So go on, secure your home with Home Secure Shop and enjoy the peace of mind such improvements can bring.

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