Renewable Heat Installer Support Scheme (RHITSS) FAQs

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Q - What support can RHITSS offer me?

A – RHITSS can help organise and provide funding towards every stage of your journey to becoming a renewable technology installer.

We will find you a suitable training provider, which includes any pre-requisite qualifications, such as energy efficiency or hot water systems, and the technology training itself (heat pumps or solar thermal).

We will also help you with all the necessary paperwork required for the Consumer Code membership, MCS and TrustMark certification. MCS is providing a range of support specifically for its certification process.

Q – How much funding can I get?

A – The funding is capped at up to 70% of the costs of each stage of your journey.

A package of training and certification is worth around £1,300 minimum per company.

Q – How many installers will be helped by the scheme?

A – We have been allocated just over £978,000 which will be enough to offer 1,000 training places and to support approximately 150 companies to become MCS certified.

Q – Can I just get training without the MCS Certification?

A – Yes, whilst we want to see as many companies become MCS certified as possible, we recognise that some businesses may want multiple staff members trained, who will not all need their MCS individually.

Q – What qualifications can I get funding for?

A – RHITSS will contribute towards any RQF solar thermal or heat pump (air and ground source) qualification delivered through a network of centres accredited by either BPEC or LCL Awards.

We will also help towards the costs of certain pre-requisites that may be required before taking the renewables courses, such as unvented hot water, hot water systems & safety and energy efficiency for domestic heating.

Q – Where will I train?

A - LCL Awards and BPEC have approved centres all over the country, we'll try wherever possible to find you convenient location to train.

Q – How do I become MCS certified? I've heard the paperwork is really complicated.

A – Don't worry, historically, that may have been the case but MCS has changed some of its standards to make it much easier - especially for smaller businesses and one man bands.

A full package of support to become MCS registered is included as part of the RHITSS, including one to one zoom meetings, downloadable information packs and help with the Quality Management System (QMS).

Q – Aren't all the consumer incentive schemes going to come to an end soon?

A – Incentive driven installations are only a small part of the future of renewables, especially heat pumps which are becoming the “go to” technology for many new builds, renovations and retrofit projects.

Whilst incentives like the Green Homes Grant can help you to get customers in the short term, renewables are definitely here to stay and with the right training behind you will be able to make sure you are well equipped for the low carbon heating future in the UK.