Businesses across Cambridgeshire have lost a valuable source of support. The Green Business Grant Project, which offered up to £15,000 to help companies cut their carbon footprint, has been scrapped.
First launched in 2022, the scheme funded everything from solar panels to low-energy heating systems. But in September 2025, Mayor Paul Bristow announced that the scheme “did not deliver value for money” and that future funding should focus on “larger projects with higher impacts.”
For Huntingdon and Cambridgeshire businesses, this isn't just a political headline. It's the loss of a pot of money that has already helped many organisations reduce costs and move closer to net zero.
As a local accountant in Huntingdon, we understand how decisions like this can leave businesses without the support they were counting on. At WJB Finance, we help companies who might have benefitted from schemes like this explore alternative funding, plan investments wisely, and keep their sustainability goals on track.
The end of the Green Business Grant Project
The Green Business Grant Project was introduced in 2022, open to businesses with three to 250 employees. It provided grants of up to £15,000 for measures such as solar panel installation, LED lighting and upgrading inefficient heating systems.
Companies across Cambridgeshire benefitted. Mitsa Ltd in St Ives, for example, received £14,000 for solar panels, describing the support and advice as “second to none.”
Vibrant Colour Ltd in Sawtry was awarded £6,200 to map its journey to net zero. Consultant Christopher Smith praised the scheme for being “delivered in plain English” and supporting plans to replace an oil boiler with electric heating and solar panels.
Despite these successes, Mayor Paul Bristow argued that “larger projects with higher impacts” should be prioritised over “small, non-strategic grants to businesses.” Funding for 2025–26, worth up to £150,000, will instead go towards initiatives such as exploring the conversion of a disused Huntingdon nightclub into a cinema and upgrading community facilities in Cambridge and Northstowe.
Liberal Democrat councillor Karen Young, a member of the funding committee, said she was “very disappointed that we're diverting funds away from green projects.”
The impact on Cambridgeshire businesses
For many SMEs in Huntingdon and the wider county, the loss of this scheme will make it harder to invest in sustainability. While energy-saving upgrades reduce costs long-term, the upfront capital can be difficult to find.
Without grant support, businesses may delay or abandon plans to modernise, even though rising energy bills and carbon targets make change more urgent than ever.
The scheme had levelled the playing field, giving smaller enterprises the chance to take meaningful steps toward sustainability. Its removal may widen the gap between larger firms that can self-fund projects and businesses in places like Huntingdon, St Ives, and St Neots that already face squeezed margins.
Green ambitions vs funding realities
The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority remains committed to net zero, with its own operations aiming for 2030 and the wider county for 2050. But critics argue that removing practical support undermines those targets.
Mayor Bristow defended the decision, noting: “We live in one world and what we do here in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is only a very small fraction of it.” His comments highlight the tension between local action and global responsibility.
Yet small businesses are central to progress in Cambridgeshire. From retail in Huntingdon to manufacturing in St Neots, they are often the first to trial new ideas and set examples in their communities. Cutting off access to funding risks slowing the very momentum needed to reach county-wide sustainability goals.
What can Huntingdon businesses do now?
While the grants may be gone, businesses in Huntingdon and across Cambridgeshire still have practical options to fund sustainability improvements:
- Tax reliefs and capital allowances can offset the cost of energy-efficient equipment.
- Phased upgrades — starting with lower-cost changes like LED lighting — spread costs over time.
- Energy supplier schemes sometimes offer support or financing for efficiency projects.
- Financial forecasting can build the savings from reduced energy bills into long-term planning, justifying the investment.
At WJB Finance, we help businesses in Huntingdon and beyond explore these options and more. From advising on capital allowances to structuring funding for energy projects, we ensure that going green makes financial as well as environmental sense.
Preparing for a grant-free future
The decision to scrap the Green Business Grant Project will be disappointing for many businesses in Huntingdon and across Cambridgeshire. But it doesn't have to mean the end of sustainability progress.
With the right planning, businesses can still invest in upgrades, save on long-term costs and stay competitive in a greener economy.
At WJB Finance, we're more than accountants — we're financial partners who help Huntingdonshire businesses adapt to change. If you're looking for a trusted accountant in Huntingdon to guide you through funding challenges, tax planning, and sustainability investments, we're here to help.
Book your free 30-minute consultation today. We'll explore how WJB Finance can support your business, simplify your accounting and prepare you for the future.