Boiler Scrappage Scheme In Place – For Now
23 March 2010
From 1st April until 30th June 2010 a Boiler Scrappage grant will be made available to householders who wish to connect to natural gas for the first time.
In the wake of delay around whether or not we are going to be able to avail of a government subsidised Boiler Scrappage Scheme for Northern Ireland, similar to the one enjoyed by householders in England, Scotland and Wales, the Energy Saving Trust, in conjunction with Phoenix Natural Gas and the wider gas industry, has announced this welcome initiative.
The scheme will match what is on offer for households in Britain by stumping up £400 cash back for any consumers wishing to upgrade from an old inefficient domestic boiler to a high efficiency A-rated natural gas boiler.
Noel Williams, Head of the Energy Saving Trust NI, said:
“We have been encouraging the Northern Ireland Executive to introduce a Boiler Scrappage Scheme here and whilst we remain hopeful that this will happen later in the year, we commend Phoenix and the wider gas industry for introducing such a scheme at this time. Lets be clear on why this scheme is so important. An average home could save up to £210 on energy bills a year and also up to 1.5 tonnes of CO2 annually by replacing an old inefficient boiler with an A-rated condensing boiler with a full set of heating controls”.
Mr Williams continued: “Government needs to introduce a more wide-ranging subsidised scheme throughout Northern Ireland, although this announcement today is most welcome”.
DUP MLA Simon Hamilton, Chair of the Social Development Committee, recently brought forward a motion at the Assembly to encourage the Department for Social Development to embrace and introduce a government backed boiler scrappage scheme. He said:
“Outside of the obvious cost saving and environmental benefits of a boiler scrappage scheme, local heating installers and boiler manufacturers would also benefit greatly from the much needed economic stimulus for their industry that a scheme would be sure to bring”.
The Phoenix boiler scrappage scheme is only available to new gas customers in the Greater Belfast licence area and will be open to householders until the end of June 2010.