Select Committee · Energy Security and Net Zero Committee

Retrofitting homes for net zero

Status: Closed Opened: 19 Nov 2024 Closed: 31 Dec 2025 20 recommendations 11 conclusions 1 report

Building on the evidence received in the previous Committee’s Heating our homes inquiry, the Committee will hold a one-off session on Retrofitting homes for net zero . The Committee will invite two stakeholder panels to consider the policy changes needed to deliver low carbon heating and energy efficient homes.

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
1st Report - Retrofitting homes for net zero HC 453 22 May 2025 31 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

6 items
1 Conclusion 1st Report - Retrofitting homes for net… Acknowledged

Government's stop-start retrofit support schemes undermine long-term sector certainty beyond 2026.

There is a clear and urgent need to provide long-term certainty for the sector through the Government’s retrofit support schemes. Stop-start measures and short funding cycles have undermined the confidence of consumers, installers and the wider supply chain. The Government has not clarified how it will support retrofit beyond 2026, …

Government response. The government acknowledges the need for long-term certainty in retrofit support and outlines its Warm Homes Plan, committing £13.2 billion for 2025/26-2029/30 to upgrade homes, with further details on allocations and program design to be announced.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
4 Conclusion 1st Report - Retrofitting homes for net… Acknowledged

Consumers lack awareness and access to impartial information on home retrofit benefits.

Many consumers have a fundamental lack of awareness of the benefits of home retrofit and where to access quality, impartial information and advice. This is preventing them from making informed decisions and delaying the retrofit of their homes. (Conclusion, Paragraph 50)

Government response. The government acknowledges consumers' lack of awareness about home retrofit benefits and is streamlining its digital energy efficiency and clean heat advice services into a single user journey, supported by a national phoneline, with further steps to be detailed in …
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
6 Conclusion 1st Report - Retrofitting homes for net… Acknowledged

One-stop-shops prove successful in other countries for low carbon heating rollout.

One-stop-shops have proven successful in many neighbouring countries, especially when affiliated with a workforce accreditation scheme that signposts consumers to trusted installers. There are clear and tangible links between their introduction in countries such as France and the success of their low carbon heating rollouts and high levels of consumer …

Government response. The government acknowledged the importance of trusted advice, stating it is streamlining existing digital and phoneline services for households and exploring smarter work with local advice services, with further steps to be outlined in the Warm Homes Plan.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
7 Recommendation 1st Report - Retrofitting homes for net… Acknowledged

Establish national warm homes advice service for England, linking consumers to trusted installers.

We recommend that the Government establishes a national warm homes advice service for England to signpost consumers to independent advice, trusted installers and financial options. This should be available online, over the phone and in person. While it may be publicly-funded at first, it should be affiliated with a retrofit …

Government response. The government acknowledged the need for trusted advice, stating it is streamlining existing digital services and a national phoneline, and exploring ways to work with local advice. It will set out further steps in the Warm Homes Plan, but did …
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
12 Conclusion 1st Report - Retrofitting homes for net… Acknowledged

Higher electricity prices significantly disincentivize consumer switch to electric heating systems

Electricity is much more expensive than gas in the UK because gas generation sets the marginal wholesale price and most levies are placed on electricity bills, rather than gas. This is a significant disincentive for consumers switching from fossil fuel to electric heating and a major barrier to decarbonising homes. …

Government response. The government acknowledges the issue of electricity being more expensive than gas as a disincentive for decarbonising homes and states its commitment to work relentlessly to translate cheaper clean power costs into lower consumer bills, though it provides no specific …
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
14 Recommendation 1st Report - Retrofitting homes for net… Acknowledged

Reduce policy cost difference between gas and electricity bills by end of 2025

We recommend that the Government, by the end of 2025, considers reducing the policy cost difference between gas and electricity bills, creating an incentive for households to adopt electric heating systems. The Government should do this carefully, recognising that almost all gas use is for essentials such as heating and …

Government response. The government acknowledges the need to address the price disparity between electricity and gas to incentivise clean technologies and commits to working relentlessly over this Parliament to reduce electricity bills, but notes it is a complex issue requiring careful consideration.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Oral evidence sessions

2 sessions
Date Witnesses
12 Feb 2025 Amanda Hoyles, Andy Manning · Citizens Advice, Damian Mercer · Cavity Extraction Ltd, Ian Rippin · Microgeneration Certification Scheme Service Company, Shabir Hussain · Luton Council, Simon Ayers · TrustMark, Zak Ashraf View ↗
4 Dec 2024 Andy Prendergast · GMB, Jessica Skilbeck · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Joanne Wheeler · UK Green Building Council, Madeleine Gabriel · Nesta, Maya Fitchett · National Energy Action, Miatta Fahnbulleh MP · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Mike Foster · Energy and Utilities Alliance, Olivia Haslam · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Robert Panou · Stonewater View ↗

Correspondence

1 letter
DateDirectionTitle
26 Mar 2025 Correspondence from Nigel Donohue, CEO, CIGA Group, to Chair and Minister for E…