Anna Wakefield explains how the new ‘Start With Grant’ initiative aims to build confidence among heating engineers through real-life experience.
Q. Is it true that installers can get a fully funded heat pump for their home?
Yes! Fossil-fuel boiler installers in England and Wales who have not yet fitted, serviced or maintained heat pumps can apply for the ‘Start With Grant’ scheme. It uses the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) funding to support installers with fitting a Grant air-source heat pump in their own home. This helps them build first-hand experience and practical knowledge of low-carbon technology, including the nuances of setup and controls.
Fitting a heat pump in their own their home means they can live with the day-to-day benefits of the technology such as comfort, efficiency and reliability. They will then be better able to describe to customers how the unit performs throughout the year and answer any common concerns by sharing personal experience.
Q: What’s included in the package?
Each installer receives a Grant Aerona 290 air source heat pump (up to 12kW), a hot water cylinder (up to 210 litres), a 50-litre volumiser, Grant smart controller, and the installation kit. It will all be delivered directly to the installer’s home. Radiators and standard plumbing/heating equipment are not provided. We also provide full Grant heat pump product training, support with system design, technical assistance, an on-site commissioning visit and MCS sign off through our MCS partner Heat Pump Go.
Q: How is this scheme funded, and what about installation costs?
Grant UK provides free-of-charge training, design and the commissioning visit. The Grant heat pump, associated components and MCS sign off is fully funded through the £7,500 BUS grant, which will be applied for and claimed through our MCS partner Heat Pump Go. Following completion and MCS sign-off, we also provide the installer with a £1,500 contribution towards installation costs, which is transferred from the remaining balance of the BUS. Terms and Conditions and eligibility criteria apply for both the Start with Grant scheme and BUS grant application. Unfortunately, Start With Grant is not available in Scotland at the moment due to the difference in funding structure through Home Energy Scotland.
Q: What are the benefits for installers?
Installers going through Start With Grant will be enrolled as a member of Grant’s G1 Scheme, giving them a seven-year heat pump guarantee for their own system, and for any future heat pump installations. If the installer has the required pre-requisites (level 2/3 Plumbing & Heating, WRAS and G3 Unvented Hot Water qualifications) they’ll also be able to offer fully MCS accredited Grant heat pump installations to customers through Heat Pump Go.
Start With Grant is helping installers to understand heat pump technology from the inside out so we hope that the scheme will help in removing a major obstacle to wider adoption. This initiative is about creating long-term momentum in the heating sector, equipping installers with the knowledge and insight they need to confidently and correctly work with heat pumps in the years to come.
Anna Wakefield is Head of Internal Sales and Marketing at Grant UK.
