Select committee: Environmental Audit Committee
Conclusion 8
Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency of Existing Homes
Published 22 Mar 2021
Paragraph 50
Environmental Audit Committee Energy Efficiency of Existing Homes All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
We welcome the clarification provided in the Energy White Paper that Home Upgrade Grants will focus on the worst-quality off-gas grid homes with low income households in England. We consider that this focus is the right one. Using the indicative costs for improving energy efficiency and heat pump installation and the Government’s pledged £2.5bn, we estimate around 100,000 homes may benefit from the scheme. This is welcome, but represents a fraction of the 1.5 million households off the gas grid who will need further support to upgrade their homes, irrespective of tenure in view of the high costs involved.
From: Environmental Audit Committee, Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency of Existing Homes (HC 346), paragraph 50, 22 March 2021
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 13 May 2021 (deadline 22 May 2021).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government sets out a broad programme on home energy efficiency, agrees with parts of the Committee's analysis, but did not extend the Green Homes Grant voucher scheme.
- On the voucher scheme, the government did not adopt the recommendation to extend it: it judged it "more beneficial overall to close the voucher portion" and to "reform and expand" the Local Authority Delivery element, citing the need to protect the taxpayer.
- It holds to its aspiration for "as many homes as possible" to reach EPC band C by 2035, "where practical, cost-effective and affordable", and plans to publish a Heat and Buildings Strategy "shortly".
- It says it will consult in 2021 on regulatory options to improve the energy performance of owner-occupied homes.
- On Stamp Duty rebates for energy efficient homes, the government says trials "are not under active consideration at this time"; it also does not propose lower VAT rates, citing pressure on public finances.