Thousands of Brits qualify for free air con – here’s how | UK | News
Brits across the country will be able to have air conditioning in their homes under a little-known government scheme. Temperatures are expected to rise to 35°C in parts of the UK this weekend and members of the public looking to beat the heat can take advantage of the provision of the Warm Homes Scheme.
Labour’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides a £7,500 grant for home heating appliances and was expanded to include air-to-air heat pumps last year. These act as air conditioners in the summer and keep your home warm in the winter. Experts said the plan was “largely unsolicited” and the public could apply. Only 45 households were reported to have made the most of the programme.
Although only 45 households applied, the program has enough money to provide air conditioning to 950,000 households. Energy Consumers Minister Martin McCluskey said they offer consumers the “best of both worlds” as they can both heat and cool your home.
A three-bed house would probably cost £3,700 to set up. BUS is available to all homeowners and applications are now open, Sun reported. There is no limit on income, but not all properties are suitable for installation. For example, most newly built properties will not be suitable for air conditioning.
Your installer will be able to tell you if you are eligible to receive the devices. Those interested in the program are asked to contact an MCS-certified installer.
The installer will apply for you via the Ofgem website and the value of the grant you receive (up to £2,500) will be deducted from the amount you pay for the installation. You can find more details on the Gov.uk website.
The air conditioning proposal comes after the Met Office warned the public about heatwave conditions this weekend. Temperatures will rise above 35 degrees in some parts of the country.
Met Office chief science officer Dr. Amy Doherty said: “This year has already seen a number of remarkable temperature milestones. Not only have we recorded a record eight days with temperatures exceeding 34°C, surpassing the previous record held in 1976 and 2020, but we have also become the first year in the UK weather records to see temperatures reach 35°C or higher in May, June and July. These records highlight just how remarkable this year has been for UK temperatures, with exceptional temperatures observed in many countries.” month.”
