Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure prompt payments to tradespeople who have received payment for works done in Green Home Grant scheme vouchers.

The payment process is a four-step process that requires the customer to confirm the work has been completed, the installer to record the work on the TrustMark database, the scheme administrator to check the conditions of the voucher issued have been met, and then the scheme administrator ICF to make the payment. The scheme administrator check is to ensure consumer protection and value for money, including undertaking fraud checks. The scheme administrator aims to pay tradespeople as soon as possible after the check is complete.

BEIS officials are working with consumers and installers to ensure they are clear on the information and checks required as part of the payment process, so that installers can be paid as quickly as possible. We will continue to work closely with scheme administrator ICF to identify further process improvements, increase the number of vouchers issued, and ensure timely release of payment.