London and the South East lead the charge for greener homes

• Almost a quarter of energy-saving measures receiving the Green Homes Grant have been installed in London, with two fifths going to London and the South East[1]

• London and the South East received £5 million contributions, while rest of the country shared £8 million[1]

• Only 3% of measures were installed in the North East and 7% in the North West[1]

• Average cost of Green Homes Grant upgrades is £4,306, with just £13 million of the £200 million budget spent for far[1]

Almost a quarter (22%) of energy-saving measures installed using Green Homes Grant funds have gone to London residents, with nearly two fifths (39%) going to London and the South East[1]], according to analysis of recent figures by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.

This compares with only 3% of the measures being installed in the North East, and the 7% being allocated to residents of the North West[1].

Based on the average £4,306 contributions for Green Homes Grant applications, it means that London and the South East have received funding of £5 million while the rest of the country shared £8 million[1].

Nearly half of all households signed up for the scheme (46%) are in London and the South East, with the East and West Midlands making up almost a fifth (19%), with the North East and Yorkshire and the Humber attracting interest from only 11% of households[1].

The average cost of the government's Green Homes Grant contributions is £4,306, with just £13 million of the £200 million budget spent for far[1].

The vast majority of Green Homes Grant measures so far have been for insulation, making up more than three quarters (76%) of installations. 

The most expensive measure installed was external solid wall insulation, which was provided to 696 households at an average cost of £12,600, though the government contributed only £6,885 on average. Air source heat pumps costing £11,433 on average were installed at 215 homes, with the government funding £6,004 on average[1].

The biggest government contribution was for park home insulation, with the Green Homes Grant funding £7,898 on average per installation out of a total £8,232 cost[1].  

The Green Homes Grant is one of a number of measures aimed at helping people make their homes more efficient and therefore reduce carbon emissions from heating. 

In August, local authorities and housing associations across England were told they could secure a share of £160 million through the government’s new Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, aimed at improving the energy efficiency of socially rented homes. 

Will Owen, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said: “Increasing the energy efficiency of our homes is a vital part of getting to net zero, and the Green Homes Grant is a well-meaning policy that can still have a significant impact if administered well. 

“Following the initial rollout of the Green Homes Grant, the policy is continuing at a local level. Some £200 million of funding has been allocated with the aim of upgrading 25,000 low-income homes, with 234 local authorities signing up to the scheme.

“Today’s figures show that 3,144 measures had been installed by the end of June this year, with 14,299 households identified to receive funding under the first phase.

“It’s still early days for the new administration of the scheme, and it deserves time to find its feet, but more needs to be done to make households aware of the money available to them, especially in the areas where the take-up so far has been low.

“It is vital that households are encouraged to make changes that cut heat loss. Without improving energy efficiency at home, we will not be able to cut carbon emissions in line with the Government's new targets.”

For more information about home insulation, see Uswitch’s guide here.