Here are some useful ideas for ways to save money and access funding for Net Zero projects.
List updated Feb 2024
You can search GOV.UK’s list of active funds that help businesses become greener, or the UK Research and Innovation’s list of business competitions that award grants for green projects.
- Clean Growth Fund invests in early stage UK companies seeking investment capital for low carbon activities
- Energy Saving Trust’s ‘Transport for funding for businesses and local authorities’ for information on low carbon transport grants and loans available in the UK
- Green Economy allows SMEs to buy and sell low carbon products and services to other businesses
- Green Skills Bootcamps are part of the Government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee. They are designed to provide industry relevant training and sector-based skills for eligible individuals or those who are self-employed. Employers can use the list of Skills Bootcamps training providers to find local colleges and providers to work with.
- Workplace Charging Scheme gives businesses up to £350 per socket (up to a total of 40) to install electric vehicle chargepoints
- The Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £7,500 grants towards the cost of an air source heat pump or a ground source heat pump (including water source heat pumps and those on shared ground loops), or £5,000 towards a biomass boiler
Sector Specific:
- Wrap supports a voluntary agreement on food waste – the Courtauld Commitment 2030 – which enables collaborative action across the entire UK food chain to deliver farm-to-fork reductions in food waste, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and water stress that will help the UK food and drink sector achieve global environmental goals
- Industrial Energy Transformation Fund gives matching funds to businesses with high energy use from industrial processes matching funds – up to £30M for feasibility studies, efficiency measures and decarbonisation deployment. For queries about the IETF for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, contact IETF@beis.gov.uk.
- Environmental Land Management GOV.UK schemes provide funds for sustainable farming practices and land recovery
Other options to explore:
- Business rates relief – some businesses in England are eligible for a reduction in their business rates bill. This is called ‘business rates relief’.
- Capital allowances – businesses who are eligible can fully expense their plant and machinery costs and access 50% first-year allowances for special rate expenditure from April 2023 until 31 March 2026
- VAT will no longer be charged from 2022 to 2027 on some domestic energy saving measures. Eligible measures include insulation, heat pumps, solar panels, wind turbines and more.
Local Support:
- You can go to the Federation of Small Businesses or your local chamber for advice. (Local support is available through CheltenhamZero, The Growth Hub, CheltenhamChamber of Commerce and Cheltenham BID)
For more grant ideas links visit:
https://businessclimatehub.uk/finance-and-support-across-the-uk
https://www.grantsonline.org.uk (free summary available without subscription only you then need to go and google the grant programme for more information)
Check out the Zellar grants and funding page under the community section of the platform