Recommendation 2

We are concerned that there is too much complexity and potential confusion for households to enable them to make informed decisions about installing a heat pump. Households can face complex decisions when looking to install a heat pump. For example, DESNZ is removing a requirement to have minimum standards for properties to have loft and cavity wall insulation in order to be eligible to apply for a grant through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. It is instead leaving this as a choice for householders, but has not made available any additional evidence about how this choice will impact on energy bills. DESNZ accepts that it needs to undertake a fair bit of myth busting about the quality of the consumer experience when living with a heat pump. Households also need to identify a skilled installer and to do this they need proper information to decide where to spend their money. But many are unsure where to get impartial advice on making improvements to reduce their homes’ emissions. Recommendation 2: DESNZ should, as part of its Treasury Minute response, set out how it will make the heat pump landscape easier for consumers to navigate, for example being clear on the impact of insulation on energy bills, by directly comparing heat pump running costs in homes with and without insulation, with this information provided through an easy-to-use website. 6 Decarbonising home heating