Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Paragraph: 70
It is commendable that the Government has been keen to avoid fraud in administration of...
Conclusion
It is commendable that the Government has been keen to avoid fraud in administration of the scheme by only allowing Trustmark and PAS registered companies to participate. But the anti-fraud precautions have been so complex that vouchers are simply not being issued. Consumers are frustrated by delays in delivery, and the industry which the scheme was set up to support has been completely failed. Companies are losing orders, laying off staff and have warned they may close 58 Energy Efficiency of Existing Homes altogether. Extraordinarily, rather than providing an economic stimulus for sector recovery, the scheme’s operation may have reduced its capacity in the short term.
Paragraph Reference:
70
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
protection is in energy efficiency schemes. The Green Homes Grant voucher scheme was therefore designed with the highest standards of quality and consumer protection at its core. Using a quality mark to ensure a high minimum standard of consumer protection was a key recommendation of the independent, industry-led Each Home Counts Review. TrustMark has been that government-endorsed quality mark and plays a central role across BEIS’ energy efficiency schemes. We do not consider the anti-fraud protections to be complex. The government has a duty to ensure that government funding is spent appropriately, and we have a zero-tolerance approach to fraud. This necessitated checks on applications and installations to guard against fraud and uphold safety. liked. Often this is for legitimate reasons, such as applications being submitted without quotes attached, incorrect addresses being supplied, or questions around quotes being significantly higher than expected. Although we have made the decision to close the Green Homes Grant Voucher scheme to new applications, we have worked to resolve the Energy efficiency of existing homes: Government Response 9 difficulties around delays in issuing and payment of vouchers. We continue to work with the scheme’s administrator to ensure voucher applications are processed as quickly as possible.