The fund was reopened in December with £6 million ring fenced for the two measure incentives. So far there have only been about 400 applications which equates to only about £400,000 of the available funds being committed.

Isaac Occhipinti of HWA said ‘The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund encourages homeowners to install energy efficiency measures that will help use less energy, reducing cost and reducing emissions. To date the only practical solution for turning the energy produced off peak or by renewable technologies into something useful and banking it for when it is needed is by heating and storing hot water and for that you need a hot water tank. It makes absolutely no sense that a hot water cylinder isn’t on the list of approved measures.

The Government pays lip service to wanting homes to be ‘renewable ready’ - adding hot water cylinders to the list of approved energy efficiency measures outlined in the new Green Deal Home Improvement Fund would encourage homeowners to become renewable ready by providing financial support to do so. So as they ponder the poor take up and consider the next phase we urge them to add hot water cylinders.'

Under the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund homeowners are eligible to receive a grant of £1,000 to install two combined energy efficiency measures, £500 for those who do it within a year of moving into a property.