Background information

The National Heat Fund provides responsible and affordable financing to make homes and buildings more sustainable for owner-occupiers, Owners' Associations and schools. The Heat Fund was established in 2013 (then as the National Energy Savings Fund) and operates on behalf of the central government. Currently, the fund offers an Energy Savings Loan. This is a loan of up to €25,000 for individuals with sufficient income. The loan has a term of 7, 10, 15 or 20 years. There is also an Energy Savings Mortgage for people who are, due to income requirements, not eligible for a 'regular' Energy Savings Loan. The loan or mortgage should be used to improve the energy efficiency of one's home.

Content of measure

Due to income requirements, not everyone is eligible for a 'regular' Energy Savings Loan. Therefore, there is a scheme for special target groups: the Energy Savings Mortgage. The premise is that homeowners will not run into financial difficulties because of this extra loan. The monthly repayment and interest depend on what you as a homeowner can pay based on existing loan standards. So in the extreme, the loan is completely repayment-free and interest-free. You do not have to repay any residual debt on sale or at the end of the term. This scheme includes homeowners, for example:

• Whose current mortgage is too high or income is too low to borrow extra;
• With a negative debt-register listing;
• Who are over 75 years old.

Use of measure

The number of low-income homeowners making their homes energy efficient with the help of National Heat Fund has increased significantly. This is according to the CBS and TNO monitor for the first half of 2023. These results show that the sustainability of homes in the Netherlands is increasing.

For years, figures showed that mainly higher-income homeowners used the National Heat Fund. This is changing. Low- and middle-income homeowners are also increasingly using National Heat Fund for sustainability measures. This change in trend is well reflected in the CBS and TNO monitor. It shows that lower income groups have increasingly used National Heat Fund in the first half of 2023. In the first half of 2023, about 2,700 low- and middle-income homeowners used National Heat Fund. In the whole of 2022, there were 2,100 (monitor CBS and TNO 2022). Among the highest-income households, National Heat Fund use actually decreased in the first half of 2023 and was lower than in 2022.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	No involvement
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

No involvement.

Views and reactions

No views known.

Sources

• 27 February 2024: Sterke toename gebruik Nationaal Warmtefonds bij lage en middeninkomens voor verduurzaming van woningen (www.rijksoverheid.nl)