10 Home Improvements You Can Get Grants For
Many of us put off home improvements because of how much they cost. However, some home improvements can be necessary to make our homes liveable such as disaster repairs or disability modifications. Others may be important from an environmental standpoint and could save us huge amounts of money in energy bills in the long run. But just how should you pay for these improvements?
Fortunately, many of these improvements can be partially funded using grants. The government currently offers many grants for various different improvements, while local charities and organisations may offer other grants.
Exactly what types of home improvements can you get grants for and where can you find these grants? This post takes a closer look into some of the home improvements you may be able to get grants for, and what you need to know to apply for such grants.
Boiler replacement
Got a gas boiler in your home that’s over 8 years old? You may be able to replace this with a heat pump or biomass boiler for free via the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
A heat pump or biomass boiler could result in significant savings on your energy bills if you’re currently using an old boiler. Getting a new boiler could also be necessary if your current one is not working efficiently enough to heat your home properly – especially if you’re elderly or have young kids.
You typically need to be receiving some kind of government income assistance to be eligible for a free boiler upgrade. Interest free loans and smaller grants may be available to some people if a full grant is not an option.
Solar panels
Installing some solar photovoltaic panels on your property’s roof could allow you to harvest your own energy. This could prevent you from having to pay expensive energy bills to a mains supplier.
Many solar panel installation companies can help you to look for grants. The government only offers solar panel grants to those receiving income assistance, however there are environmental charities that are willing to provide grants to a range of homeowners.
Double glazing
Double glazing can help to trap heat in your home and could help you to save £235 on your energy bills each year.
The government ECO4 scheme currently provides grants (up to £14,000) for various insulation upgrades including double glazing. If you’ve only got single glazed windows, consider looking into this grant.
EV charging points
The UK is currently in the process of phasing out petrol cars in favour of electric cars. In order to encourage people to make the shift from petrol to electric, the UK government has started offering grants to people to go towards the purchase of electric vehicles, as well as electric vehicle charging stations.
Currently, the government is willing to pay 75% towards EV charger installation on eligible properties. Other organisations like Ozev also offer grants.
Flood repairs
Been a victim of a home flood and don’t have insurance? Flood damage repair could be urgent as your property may no longer be safe to live in afterwards.
Fortunately, there are a number of government and charity grants available that can help cover flood damage repairs if you don’t have insurance in place. Some can even pay to put in place protective measures to defend your property against future floods.
Fire damage repairs
A fire is another disaster that can be hard to recover from. Repairing even minor fire damage could be expensive. And if you’re not insured, you’ll likely have to reach into your own pocket to pay for repairs.
The good news is that – like flood damage repairs – fire damage repairs can often be funded using a grant. The government typically does not hand out grants for fire damage repairs, however there are many local charity grants that you can explore such as The Edinburgh Fire Fund if you live in Edinburgh.
Stairlift installation
Disabled facilities grants are available for a range of home improvements. One example of a home improvement typically covered by this grant is stairlift installation – if you have mobility issues that make it hard to use the stairs in your home, this could be a grant that benefits you.
A grant will usually be able to cover all or most of the cost of installation. To be eligible for this grant, at least one occupant over the age of 18 must be physically disabled.
Ramp installation
Installing a ramp could be useful if someone in your household uses a wheelchair. This could include replacing a single step with a ramp or building a larger ramp as an alternative form of access to a staircase.
Disabled facilities grants will usually cover the entire cost of installing a ramp. Larger ramps may only be able to be partially covered (although grants can often cover up to £30,000). You should consider the fact that a lift may be cheaper and more convenient to install than a large ramp in many cases.
Walk-in shower
You may also be able to get a walk-in shower installed in your home for free by applying for a grant. This includes removing an existing bath, installing a shower pan, installing shower doors and even installing a new shower pump/showerhead if necessary.
To get a grant for a walk-in shower, someone in your household will need to be registered as disabled. Other bathroom improvements such as adding grab bars near toilets and pull string lights can also be funded using this grant.
Downstairs bedroom extension
It’s even possible to partially pay for a downstairs bedroom extension using a disabled facilities grant. If you cannot get up the stairs, such a bedroom could be a necessity.
Grants will be able to pay for you to convert a room or to help build a whole new extension. Just bear in mind that there may be limits as to what types of extension and which features are covered by the grant (any luxury features that you want to add to your new bedroom will generally not be covered).
