Recommendation 15

The promise of £6bn further funding from the Chancellor is welcome, but those in fuel poverty cannot afford three winters of delay. We believe it is a false economy to hold this money back at a time when households are struggling, and the taxpayer is having to spend billions to subsidise energy bills. The extra money promised on energy efficiency should be brought forward now to fulfil the Government’s manifesto commitment, not begin to be spent after a two year interval. We recommend that the Government launch a national ‘war effort’ push on energy saving and efficiency. The Government must treat the upgrading of all homes in England at band D or below to band C as a national priority to ensure affordability, enhance the UK’s energy security and reduce the high emissions from the country’s leaky and draughty building stock.