The Domestic Energy Efficiency Grants (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016

““Affordable Warmth grant” means a grant payable for any of the purposes set out in regulation 4(2A)4

““affordable warmth survey” means a survey of homes identified by the Ulster University as most at risk of fuel poverty by Census Output Area or a local council survey of homes considered to be at risk of fuel poverty;”.

““benefit entitlement check” means a process to establish whether an applicant for an Affordable Warmth grant might be entitled to claim any social security benefit or tax credit;”.

““Boiler Replacement grant” means a grant payable for the purposes of regulation 4(1A);”.

““technical inspection” means inspection of a dwelling carried out by or on behalf of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive for the purposes of an Affordable Warmth grant.”.

“(1A)

An application for a Boiler Replacement grant to replace a heating boiler with a new more energy efficient heating boiler may be approved, where the existing boiler—

(a)

is at least 15 years old; and

(b)

the applicant is the homeowner and lives in the dwelling as their sole or main residence.”.

“(2A)

An Affordable Warmth grant may be made by the Department or its administering agency for one or more of the following purposes—

(a)

to provide a mains gas, oil or biomass heating system where none exists;

(b)

to replace a boiler system where the conditions set out in regulation 4(2D) are met;

(c)

to convert a liquid petroleum gas or solid fuel heating system to a mains gas, oil or biomass heating system;

(d)

to convert an Economy 7 heating system to mains gas or oil heating system, or to a high energy efficiency storage system;

(e)

to provide or replace ineffective insulation to any water heating system or to provide any part of such a system with insulation incorporated in it;

(f)

to provide, where there is no draught proofing to external doors and or windows, or remove and replace where it is ineffective;

(g)

to replace defective radiators in an ineffective heating system;

(h)

to install thermostatic radiator valves to an existing heating system;

(i)

to replace exterior window frames which are ineffective and beyond repair;

(j)

to facilitate the removal of asbestos from the dwelling;

(k)

to provide insulation in homes of solid wall construction.

(2B)

A grant shall not be payable under regulation 4(2A) unless the works are recommended as a result of a technical inspection.

(2C)

Where an affordable warmth survey is completed, the householder shall also be provided with energy advice and offered a benefit entitlement check.

(2D)

Subject to regulation 4(2A)(b) a replacement boiler may be provided where the following conditions are met—

(a)

the householder or their spouse/partner is aged 65 or older; or

(b)

the householder or their spouse/partner have a dependent child or children aged under 16 years and for whom they receive child benefit; or

(c)

a member of the household is in receipt of disability living allowance under section 71 of the 1992 Act or personal independence payment under Part 5 of the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 20156; and

(d)

the existing boiler is at least 15 years old.”.

“(4)

Subject to paragraph (5) the Department or its administering agency shall not pay a total amount of grant in respect of an application qualifying under—

(a)

regulation 4(2A) (a) to (i) exceeding the amount properly charged for the works or £7,500, whichever is the lesser; or

(b)

where regulation 4(2A) (j) or (k) also applies, an amount not exceeding the amount properly charged for the works or £10,000, whichever is the lesser.

(5)

In the case of a qualifying application in respect of a private tenancy the amount payable under paragraph (4) shall not exceed 50 per cent of either the amount properly charged for the works or the lesser amount.”.