Green Homes Grant Installer Guide: What memberships you need for
low
carbon heating technologies
George Clarke, HIES Brand Ambassador
“This is great news for homeowners.” “These grants could make a
huge difference
and help you cut future energy bills.”
ContentsContents
Page 4-5: Memberships: MCS
Page 6: Memberships: TrustMark
Page 7: Memberships: HIES
What memberships do you need?What memberships do you need?
If you install low carbon heat measures, such as heat pumps you
must be certified with the Microgeneration
Certification Scheme (MCS).
As part of MCS requirements, you will need to be a member of a
certification body (such as APHC) and a Chartered
Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) approved Code of Practice.
You will need to register with a TrustMark approved Scheme Provider
(for example,
HIES).
HIES is a TrustMark Scheme Provider and CTSI approved Code of
Practice. This
means that through HIES, you can achieve TrustMark and MCS
memberships. As a scheme provider, HIES will support your
TrustMark application.
You must register with a TrustMark Scheme Provider (such as HIES)
and
TrustMark to be a Green Homes Grant Scheme installer.
You also need to register with the Government as a Green Homes
Grant
Scheme installer.
Below are the 4 memberships you need to become a Green Homes Grant
Scheme low carbon heat technology installer. Each membership will
be
covered in further detail throughout this guide.
Before application:
Companies that are looking to install low carbon heat measures
under the Green Homes Grant Scheme must be certified with the
Microgeneration
Certification Scheme.
To start the process to becoming MCS certified, identify which
Certification Body you wish to join. The Certification Body you
choose will guide you through the process of becoming MCS
certified.
Each Certification Body has a different price for becoming MCS
certified as well as having different timescales to gaining the
certification.
Top tip: Contact a few different Certification Bodies to decide
which one will be right for your business.
Certification Bodies:
Certification Bodies ensure that you install the renewable
technology in line with the MCS standards. They will assess your
company in terms of company practices and perform an inspection of
an installation site that you nominate.
A list of Certification Bodies that support MCS certification can
be found here.
Application stage:
To become MCS certified installation companies must:
• Be assessed against the MCS 001 Standard and the specific
technical Standard for the technology the company wishes to become
certified for.
• Be assessed by a Certification Body to ensure that the
installations are in line with the MCS standards.
• Belong to a Chartered Trading Standards Institute approved Code
of Practice, such as HIES.
• Be able to demonstrate how you engage the services of skilled,
competent, and experienced individuals to fulfil each activity
required to meet and maintain the requirements of the scheme.
• Be able to demonstrate the skill, competency, and experience of
an individual/s involved in the various roles required to deliver a
customer’s system.
• Be able to demonstrate the operation of a Quality Management
System (QMS). For further information on becoming MCS certified,
please click here.
5
Top tip: If you work with other installers or sales companies,
familiarise yourself with the rules around subcontracting. Click
here to read more about subcontracting.
Memberships: TrustMarkMemberships: TrustMark
TrustMark is the only Government endorsed standards scheme for
trades within the home improvement industry.
Application stage:
In order to become a TrustMark member, companies must be a member
of a ‘Scheme Provider’ (relevant to their business), such as HIES.
Once companies have become a member of a ‘Scheme Provider’, they
can then start the application process for a TrustMark membership,
which is an important step to take when applying to become a Green
Homes Grant Scheme installer.
Please note: to access the Green Homes Grant Scheme for low-carbon
technologies, you must be MCS certified for each measure under the
Scheme.
As a Scheme Provider, HIES are offering FREE TrustMark membership
when you become a HIES member. The offer ends 31st March
2021.
What you need to register:
When you are ready to register with TrustMark you will need to
include; • MCS registration • company details • details of your
Scheme Provider
Email HIES at
[email protected] or call HIES on 0344 324
5242 to find out more.
6
HIES can help you comply with both MCS and TrustMark.
HIES can help installers with TrustMark and MCS:
HIES is a TrustMark ‘Scheme Provider’ so can help HIES members with
TrustMark accreditation, an important step to becoming a Green
Homes Grant Scheme installer for solar thermal and/or heat
pumps.
To gain MCS certification for solar thermal and/or heat pumps, an
installer must be part of a Chartered Trading Standards Institute
Consumer Code, which HIES is.
Installer benefits as a HIES member:
Along with helping you with the accreditation process to becoming a
TrustMark member, HIES also offers the following benefits to
installers:
• Quick and easy to join • Access to finance facilities • Free
marketing material • IBGs and Deposit & Stage Payment
Protection • Free alternative dispute resolution • Business
support
7
Final step: GovernmentFinal step: Government
Once installers have received all of the required memberships,
installers will need to register to be a Green Homes Grant Scheme
installer.
Registering with Government:
Installation companies are asked to sign up to the Terms and
Conditions of the Green Homes Grant Scheme and provide their
company’s details for payment.
On the Government website, the installation company must register
for each of the Scheme’s measures that they plan to carry out under
the Green Homes Grant Scheme.
Please note: Installation companies must wait to receive
confirmation that their registration has been successful prior to
offering to carry out work under the Green Homes Grant
Scheme.
Please click here to go to the Government website.
Checklist: Installer journeyChecklist: Installer journey
Below is a reminder of the memberships you need to have to become a
Green Homes Grant Scheme low carbon heat technology
installer.
1. Register with MCS through a certification body.
2. Sign up to HIES, one of TrustMark’s ‘Scheme Providers’ and CTSI
Consumer Code.
3. Register as a certified installer with TrustMark. Until 31st
March 2021, HIES are offering FREE TrustMark Membership when you
join HIES.
9
4. Register with Government to be a Green Homes Grant Scheme
installer.
Click here to join HIES and get FREE TrustMark membership
[email protected]
www.hiesscheme.org.uk
The Home Insulation and Energy Systems Quality Assured Contractors
Scheme (HIES) is a division of The Integrity Foundation, a Company
Limited by Guarantee. Registered address: Centurion House, Leyland
Business Park, Centurion Way, Farington, Leyland, England, PR25
3GR. Registered in England and Wales (Company Number
07972075).