46
MARCH 2015 PRO INSTALLER
PRO BUSINESS
www.proinstaller.co.uk
Extension for
Green Deal
vouchers
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is
extending vouchers from the first release of the Green Deal Home
Improvement Fund (GDHIF) until Tuesday 31 March 2015, allowing
time for millions of pounds worth of installations to be carried out.
The one-off voucher extension applies to GDHIF vouchers that have an expiry date
before 31 March 2015, and
have not yet been redeemed,
affecting around 3,900
voucher holders, including
vouchers that have already
expired. For the first release
of GDHIF, which was open to
applications from 9 June to
24 July, vouchers worth up to
a maximum of £7,600 were
on offer.
Secretary of State for Energy and
Climate Change, Ed Davey, said:
“The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund has been going like
hotcakes. Winter can be a difficult
time to get installations done so
‘11,061 vouchers have been paid and
13,613 measures installed through
GDHIF, with £54.3 million claimed’
by giving more time to voucher
holders they can join over one
million homes already benefitting
from a warmer, cheaper winter
thanks to our energy efficiency
schemes.”
Up to the end of December
2014, 11,061 vouchers have been
paid and 13,613 measures installed through GDHIF, with £54.3
million claimed.
The extension is effective immediately and will apply automati-
cally to eligible voucher holders;
a new voucher will not be issued.
To claim, eligible householders
should carry out the work and
submit their voucher for redemption to the GDHIF scheme administrator by 31 March 2015, vouchers that have been extended will
not be accepted after this time.
All other terms and conditions for
the first release of GDHIF continue to apply to customers and
installers.
Vouchers from the second
release of GDHIF which opened
to applications on 10 December
2014, will not be affected and will
be valid for six months as per the
expiry date on the voucher.
Details of further releases of
funding for GDHIF will be announced on a quarterly basis with
the next release and announcement expected March 2015.
Those who have an expiry date
on or after 31 March 2015 will
not receive an extension and
should submit their claim as per
the expiry date on the voucher:
the GDHIF voucher extension
is a once only offer for voucher
holders from the first release of
the scheme.
There is no guarantee that
voucher redemption will be successful, if a claim was/is non-compliant with the scheme terms and
conditions in any other respect.
It’s advisable for people to refer to
the terms and conditions before
they submit their claim.
GDHIF registered installers and
providers can help their customers
by completing the installation and
handing the required documents
over to the customer in time for
the customer to submit their claim
by the 31 March deadline.
DECC may vary the terms of
GDHIF (including the incentive
rates) or suspend or close the
scheme, with immediate effect,
without notice and at any time.
Construction apprenticeship
crisis worse than feared
New figures obtained by construction union UCATT, reveal that the crisis
facing construction apprentices is worse than previously feared.
Last month, it was revealed that in 2013/14
just 8,030 apprentices
completed construction apprentices, when
the industry needs
nearly 45,000 new entrants every year.
A Freedom of Information
request made by UCATT to
the Department of Business paints an even worse
picture. Provisional figures
for the 2014/15 academic
year record that there are
just 24,850 undertaking
construction apprenticeships. Of these the vast
majority 19,830 were par-
ticipating in intermediate
level apprenticeships (Level
2), with just 5,190 apprentices undertaking advanced
level apprenticeships (Level
3) and 130 apprentices
on higher apprenticeships
(Level 4).
Steve Murphy, General
Secretary of UCATT, said:
“These figures are abysmal the total number of
apprentices being trained
is 20,000 lower than the
number of new entrants
the industry needs every
year.”
The dearth of apprentices studying for a Level 3
qualification is particularly
alarming as this is considered the minimum standard needed to enter the
industry as a fully skilled
construction worker.
Mr Murphy added: “The
lack of apprentices being
trained to Level 3 is a result
of employers deskilling
courses and a failure to
think long-term. Employers
are locked in a short-term
mind-set. If they are forced
to train apprentices they
want to do it as quickly as
possible, teaching the bare
minimum. Fully trained
apprentices are more pro-
ductive and have a greater
range of skills, which is
in the long-term interest
of the industry and the
economy.”
The growing skills crisis
in the construction industry and the failure to train
apprentices was raised by
Steve Rotheram MP in a
House of Commons debate
on the 4th February.
Mr Rotheram, a bricklayer
by trade, said: “The failure
to train apprentices is both
a travesty and a ris