Sudden closure of the Government’s Green Deal Home Improvement Fund has prompted an angry response from organisations involved in delivering the scheme.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) said the decision had been taken ‘due to overwhelming popular demand’ during the last two days, which saw the last remaining funds exhausted.
But the announcement came just 48 hours after the department issued a statement promoting the scheme’s success along with details of funding available for new applicants.
Peter Bates, managing director of social enterprise The 80percent Hub – which works to encourage uptake of measures to cut emissions – said: ‘Only last week was I expressing concern that this scheme was in danger of becoming a classic example of “roller-coaster” intervention by DECC.
‘This appears to have become true. DECC appear to be incapable of managing energy efficiency or renewable energy (Solar PV – Feed-in-tariff) that will lead to a steady sustainable uptake of measures – that are good for the environment, householders and the industry.’
The closure of the GDHIF sparked a flurry of reaction on social media. Green Deal Contracts, which installs energy efficiency measures, tweeted: ‘We have certainly wasted thousands of £s & redundancies my be required’.
I cant believe the #gov have closed the #gdhif this is shocking news to all the companies like us spending thousands getting accredited.
— Green deal (@Greendealcs) July 24, 2014
A number of others questioned whether the fund’s closure was legal.
Is that not illegal by @DECCgovuk closing the #GDHIF application process before it specified. People will be upset!! pic.twitter.com/E67RybpfT5
— TheGreenAge (@TheGreenAge) July 24, 2014
But energy and climate change minister Amber Rudd said: ‘The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund is a world first and in a short space of time it has proved extremely popular. We were always clear there was a budget which is why we encouraged people to act quickly.’
