Department of Energy and Climate Change seeks to streamline Green Deal

Originally published 22 December 2013. The Green Deal has since closed, so this is kept for reference only - see our latest guides.

The Green Deal was a government initiative designed to encourage businesses and homeowners to adopt more energy-efficient technology with no upfront costs, repaid through energy bills. A distinctive feature was that the obligation remained attached to the property rather than following the owner on relocation.

When launched, it was promoted as the largest home improvement initiative since the Second World War. However, uptake was limited, with only a few hundred fully operational plans despite around 100,000 assessments completed. The Department of Energy and Climate Change planned to simplify the assessment process, including a new online tool to direct consumers to providers and improved access to business loans.

The Golden Rule principle required that projected savings must equal or exceed upgrade costs. The Green Deal covered two main areas: insulation and controls, and power generation such as solar panels and heat pumps. Service providers had to be Green Deal accredited.

For current help with energy efficiency funding, see our guide on the boiler upgrade scheme.