Grants for loft insulation and for solid wall insulation

by Robert Palgrave, Woking LA21, 18th January 2008 

1. I understand that grants are not available to help a home owner top up loft insulation to the recommended thickness of 270mm using the Knauf Space Board system. Apparently this is because the system is more expensive than normal quilting products like rockwool.
 
The Space Board system has the advantage that it can be used without needing to add additional height to ceiling joists and attendant weight. Many houseowners are dissuaded from increasing loft insulation from 100 to 270 mm because they don't want to lose access to the loft area for storage and don't want to install raised joists.
 
Is it not possible for partial grants to be given for this system to the value of quilting that would otherwise be used?
 
2. Grants are not available for insulating solid walls - only for cavity filling. This seems iniquitous - houses with solid walls are colder / or use more energy than ones with uninsulated cavity walls.
 
Again if the reason is that the costs are too high, why not allow the householder to apply for a grant up to the value of filling cavity walls for his size of property?

To respond please email admin@eeph.org.uk

Response by John Mason, National Insulation Association:

Essentially there is no support for either of these measures or such solution under any of the fuel poverty schemes.  They can be installed under CERT but are not as cost-effective as measures such as Cavity Wall Insulation and Loft Insulation which suppliers focus upon. On a local basis the grant availability and criteria change.

I would suggest reading more on the Defra and Ofgem websites: http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Sustainability/Environmnt/EnergyEff/Documents1/CERT%202008-2011%20Supplier%20guidance.pdf and http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/uk/household/supplier/index.htm