Source · Select Committees · Energy Security and Net Zero Committee
Recommendation 3
3
Accepted in Part
Announce long-term home retrofit programme beyond 2026, including reduced schemes and relaxed criteria.
Recommendation
The Government must announce a long-term programme for how it plans to support home retrofit beyond 2026 in its Warm Homes Plan. This should include a reduction in the number of schemes offered; significantly relaxed eligibility criteria to prioritise uptake; funding commitments until at least 2035; and a strategy to facilitate area-based retrofit. (Recommendation, Paragraph 40)
Government Response Summary
The government recognizes the need for a long-term retrofit program and has committed £13.2 billion to the Warm Homes Plan for 2025/26-2029/30, addressing simplified eligibility and area-based retrofit, with further details on allocations to be set out by October this year.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
The government recognises the need to set long-term programme of support for home retrofit to transform our ageing building stock into comfortable, low-carbon homes that are fit for the future. The Warm Homes Plan will set out how the government will fulfil the manifesto commitment to upgrade 5 million homes over this Parliament. £13.2 billion has been committed to the Warm Homes Plan over the years 2025/26 to 2029/30. Investment will be allocated across schemes that support households to upgrade with heat pumps, energy efficiency measures and low carbon technology like solar and batteries, and will ensure families can benefit from homegrown energy and the mission for clean power by 2030. Further details on allocations for individual programmes will be set out by October this year. Delivery is currently supported through schemes such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, Warm Homes: Local Grant and the Energy Company Obligation. We are working closely with local mayors and supporting individuals to participate in schemes they are eligible for. The Government has taken steps to simplify eligibility criteria for schemes. The Warm Homes Plan will support the area-based retrofit and continue to draw on previous local authority-led retrofit schemes and feedback received about them. Government is keen to take an area-based approach to the WHP, by working closely with Local Government, local leaders and other key stakeholders and learn from previous schemes such as the Local Authority Delivery scheme, Home Upgrade Grant and the Local Energy Demonstrators. The government is learning from previous and current schemes regarding local authority funding allocations to reduce administrative burdens. This will be used to inform future programme design. Further details will be set out in the Warm Homes Plan.