Boiler scrappage | Lifestyle | Homepage - Bridgwater Mercury

Upgrade your boiler and save cash, carbon, jobs

THE Government’s boiler scrappage scheme, could help 125,000 households upgrade their old boiler to an energy efficient model and save hundreds of pounds each year.

The £50-million scheme, which was announced by the Government in the pre-Budget report, hopes to reduce carbon, save money on energy bills and safeguard jobs in boiler manufacturing and installation.

By upgrading a G-rated boiler to an A-rated version, a household heating bill should drop by about a quarter – a saving, on average, of around £235 a year.

People who successfully apply for an upgrade will receive a voucher worth £400 to put towards the cost of a new energy-efficient boiler under the scheme, which will be issued from January 18.

Tom Lyon, energy expert at uSwitch.com, said: “The Government is moving very quickly on this scrappage scheme and energy companies are getting on board with it too.

“Inefficient boilers contribute significantly to household carbon emissions. In addition, installing a modern energy efficient boiler can save households up to £235 a year on heating bills. With the average boiler lifespan of 15 years this is a substantial saving on energy bills which means the boiler could pay for itself.”

The Energy Saving Trust says that a good quick test for gas boilers is to see if it has a permanent pilot light – if it has then it is very likely to be a G-rated boiler. If it is gas-fired and over 15 years old it is likely to be eligible. If it is oil-fired and over 25 years old, it is likely to be eligible.

If you believe that your home has a G-rated or worse boiler and wish to register an interest in the scheme to receive a £400 cashback voucher towards the cost of upgrading to an A-rated boiler, then arrange for your nominated installer to visit, provide you with a quote and have the following information to hand:

• Your full name.
• The address of the property for which you wish to claim the voucher.
• The make and name of the boiler being scrapped.
• The company name, address and contact details of the installer carrying out the work.
• The type of replacement boiler to be installed – eg gas, biomass.
• Confirmation that you have received a quote or visit from the installer to carry out the work.

Once you have this information call the Energy Saving Trust advice line on 0800-512012.