Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme: Phase 3c Now Open

Grants are available for public sector bodies in England to fund energy efficiency and decarbonisation measures.

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme provides grants to public sector bodies to fund energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation measures. The scheme aims to reduce emissions from public sector buildings by 75% by 2037, compared with a 2017 baseline.

The scheme is available for capital projects within public sector non-domestic buildings, including central government departments and arm’s length bodies in England.

Phase 3c is now open to applications, with up to £230 million available in 2024/25. There is no value limit on the grant amount which can be awarded in Phase 3c. The grants can be used to support significant low-carbon energy upgrades to buildings, ranging from heat pumps and solar panels to new energy efficiency measures, such as insulation and low-energy lighting.

Public sector bodies in England are eligible to apply. Applications will be assigned to one of the three sector categories – health, education or other:

  • Education – includes but is not limited to state primary schools, state secondary schools and universities and Local Authorities applying on behalf of schools only.
  • Health – includes but is not limited to hospitals and health centres.
  • Other – includes but is not limited to emergency services, clubs and community centres, law courts and prisons, Ministry of Defence buildings, museums and theatres. Applications which are mixed (eg a Local Authority application which covers a school and a leisure centre) will fall under the ‘other’ sector cap.

Note: ambulance services for Phase 3c are now included in the ‘other’ sector.

Applications for Phase 3c will close after 10 working days from 10 October, or until a sufficient value of applications has been received for the budget available.

(This report was the subject of a GRANTfinder Newsflash.)