Grant To Buy An Electric Car?

In London, motorists could receive up to 5,000 pounds ($7,500) if they buy an electric car! The plan comes as part of a 250-million-pound scheme to make motoring greener, and ministers hope it will help Britain meet its target of slashing carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050. Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon said he wanted electric cars to become a much more common sight on Britain's streets. "What we've got to get people used to is the idea that electric cars will become quite normal, quite usual, that it won't be exceptional and, without being slightly unkind to existing electric vehicles, they won't be slightly odd," he told one local newspaper.

Under this grant program, drivers will receive between 2,000 and 5,000 pounds towards buying their first electric and plug-in hybrid cars. Electric cars cost an average of 12,000 pounds, but go up to over 80,000 pounds for high-performance models.

There are also talks about urging the government to start a grant program which would pay motorists to ditch old cars for new.

Update!

• There is a new initiative being introduced that will allow drivers to trade in their non-running vehicles and claim £1,000 towards more fuel-hungry vehicles if they wish! There is also a loophole in one of the government programs that will allow wealthy drivers to trade in their non-running wrecks and obtain £1,000 from the taxpayer towards a new sports car, 4x4 or luxury car.
  
  Owners of cars that have no MoT certificate and are sitting rusting in backyards are eligible for grants if a statutory off-road notification (SORN) has been made. This is a declaration that a car is not being kept on a public road and therefore does not need to have an MoT or be taxed. A SORN is free and can be made via this website.
  
  This means that taxpayers are likely to be paying for cars that would have been bought anyway, without the grants. Because many will be replacing vehicles already removed from the road, the environmental benefits of this program will be limited.

Manufacturers must match the £1,000 grant with a £1,000 discount. The manufacturers are encouraging drivers to buy bigger, more fuel-hungry cars. Ford is offering £4,500, including the grant, off a Mondeo and £5,000 off a Galaxy. However, it is offering only £2,000 off a Fiesta and telling drivers they must wait at least three months for delivery. Any driver can get a friend or relative with an old car to trade it in on their behalf for a new one and transfer ownership. The government official said that this would be permitted.

• If you have an old car on the driveway that will not pass its MoT, complete a statutory off road notification on the website. Dealers will happily collect it, scrap it and give you the discount. The car must have been registered in your name for at least a year
  
  
• If you don’t have an old car to scrap, find a friend who does. Get him or her to go along with you to the dealer and sign the paperwork. When the deal is done your friend can transfer ownership to you

Several dealers told a reporter, who posed as a buyer wanting to take part in the scheme, that they could arrange an MoT regardless of the condition of the vehicle. “It’s going to be scrapped anyway so the MoT won’t be a problem,” one said.

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For other grant-related programs outside of the United States, please be sure to visit my Dream Job Forum!

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There is an assistance program that is offered by utility and gas companies in many states. This organization, and the aid they will give provides energy assistance funds to families and individuals in need of help. In addition, the program will offer additional aid, such as help for paying medical bills, rent or housing costs, and more. Select your state to learn if this program is available in your area!

Did you know that there is an organization that helps families and individuals who can't secure loan funding or cash grants at traditional lending institutions. Funds provided can be used to pay for items such as unexpected bills, fix transportation issues and purchase prescription drugs!

Property Tax Deferral Program For Homeowners With Limited Income! If you are a homeowner with limited income, then Washington has a program that may help you pay your property taxes and/or special assessments! Under this deferral program, 50 percent of your property taxes and/or special assessments will be paid on your behalf! The program is not an exemption or a grant. Deferred taxes are taxes that have been postponed. When you no longer own and use the property as your personal residence, you must repay the deferred tax. The deferred amount, plus interest, becomes a lien in favor of the state until the total amount is repaid. Please remember that you can do something if you don't have enough money to pay your property taxes. Don't wait until the town has taken your house for back taxes. It might be too late! I Can't Pay the Taxes on my House: What Can I Do? In one state if you cannot pay your tax bill for the property you live on, there is something you can do. Your city or town can decide that you don't have to pay some or all of it! If you are considered low-income then you may be eligible to apply for this program. You will need to get the correct form to apply for this property tax funding program. (it is available as a .pdf download). On the form, you will be asked specific information like how much income you make, your debts and expenses and you will also be asked questions about your property. If you are unemployed you will have to state the reason why you are unemployed. If you use all of your income to pay for basic living expenses (like rent or house payment, lights, heat, and food), then you should be able to qualify for this program. The town must let you apply for up to 3 years of back tax bills. If you owe more than 3 years, ask the Town if they will forgive all of the taxes that you owe. Be prepared to give them your income and budgets for each year. After you have applied for this program, your town has 30 days to decide what to do. During that time, they may hold an informal hearing. It must be kept private. At the hearing, they may ask you more questions about what you can pay. After the 30 days, they must tell you if you must still pay the taxes. They must give you their decision in writing. If you are turned down you have 60 days to try to change the decision (appeal). To appeal, you must send a letter to a higher authority, asking for a new decision. It can be a simple letter. Ask someone to help you if you need help. Your written decision from the town should tell you where to send the letter. Next, you will be told when and where and go to an appeal hearing. At the hearing, be prepared to talk about your income and budget. The people who hear your appeal have 60 days total (from the date of your letter) to make a new decision. If you are still denied then you can appeal the second decision to the local Superior Court. You must do this within 30 days after you got the second decision. If you do not receive this second written decision within 60 days, then your appeal is considered denied. In this case, your appeal deadline is 90 days from the date of your hearing. Here are some other ways that you may to get help with your house taxes. You may also be able to get more tax relief if you are: blind a wartime veteran and at least 62 years old or the widow or minor child of a wartime veteran You should also visit the state website for more information about this specific property tax program.

What Kind Of For-Profit Businesses

Get Government Grants?

Here is an excerpt from a for-profit business:

"Our business is already seeing early effects of the recovery money. How? Our customers are getting grants.

All of the "grant pots" are overflowing with money at this point, and many times when people get grant awards for small scale plants, they call us to design and build them. Our design-build group has gone from a single employee in 2008 to a staff of six in 2009. And the backlog of work is growing.
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It seems that the government's official grant website has become so busy that grant writers are having a hard time accessing the website themselves! (Except for me of course! - LOL! - I have never had a problem accessing the government's official web site). The reason is because so many individuals are looking to the site to find more information about how they can get grant money for themselves!

According to one for-profit business that has received a government grant in the past:

"And I suppose I should be grateful that the stimulus is coming to town. Today we are building a second laboratory to accommodate all of the contracts that are coming our way and we have grants to thank for its expansion. I never went into this thinking "I could get a grant for this." And I had never heard of "stimulus money" when I was doing my business plan in 2005. It turns out that you cannot be in this business without having a toe in government policy. And you can't play a proper role in policy if you don't participate in grants, and research and the like."