Source · Select Committees · Energy Security and Net Zero Committee
1st Report - Retrofitting homes for net zero
Energy Security and Net Zero Committee
HC 453
Published 22 May 2025
Recommendations
7
Acknowledged
Establish national warm homes advice service for England, linking consumers to trusted installers.
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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 not commit to establishing a new national service as recommended or piloting by winter 2025.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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14
Acknowledged
Reduce policy cost difference between gas and electricity bills by end of 2025
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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
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Conclusions (4)
1
Conclusion
Acknowledged
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 Summary
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.
4
Conclusion
Acknowledged
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 Summary
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 the Warm Homes Plan.
6
Conclusion
Acknowledged
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 Summary
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.
12
Conclusion
Acknowledged
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 Summary
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 actions or timelines.