Despite businesses and consumers being pleased with the Green Homes Grant scheme extending until March 2022, small trade businesses and sole traders are reportedly struggling to access it due to financial difficulties and the complex process in place.
Adrienne Minster, chief executive officer of Rated People, said: “Despite a huge number of highly skilled trades businesses being willing to work on projects eligible for Green Homes Grant support, many are still having a tough time navigating the processes that lead to them getting started with the work, including the need to wait for often delayed government vouchers to arrive.
“We’re hearing more often that smaller trade businesses are finding it particularly difficult to get involved with the Green Homes Grant now. The scheme understandably has a high bar for certification as works need to be up to scratch. However, we need to be doing more to support these businesses in their efforts to register as installers, and one of the ways we can do that is by making it more affordable for them to give extra training to their employees.”
She added: “We should remember that all the while it’s challenging for smaller businesses to join the scheme, it’s also challenging for enough homeowners to find registered tradespeople in their areas. The Green Homes Grant has proved to be very popular and we would urge the government to look at how it might be able to better support businesses through the registration processes, so that tradespeople can meet the high demand for renovations.”