Select committee: Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 16
Thirty-Seventh Report - Decarbonising home heating
Published 26 May 2024
Addressed to HM Treasury
Public Accounts Committee Decarbonising home heating All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
In response to our question about how DESNZ ensured customers had access to proper information to make decisions about investment and running costs, the Department explained that it provided information through its online tools on heat pump suitability and retrofit options to make homes cheaper to heat, and a phone line service providing households in England with advice about how to improve the energy performance of their homes. Research published by Energy Saving Trust in December 2023, and the written evidence it submitted to us, however, highlighted a lack of impartial, personalised support as a major barrier to decarbonising homes, with almost half (48%) of homeowners in England unsure where to get independent, impartial advice on making improvements to reduce their homes’ emissions. It told us that the current process for households looking to decarbonise their homes was “complex and confusing”, which left people unsure where to find trusted information about what measures are suitable for their property. It also cautioned that financial support alone will be insufficient to increase uptake of low-carbon heating if not accompanied by impartial, tailored advice services that guide consumers through the process.30
From: Public Accounts Committee, Thirty-Seventh Report - Decarbonising home heating (HC 653), 26 May 2024
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 11 July 2025 (deadline 26 July 2024).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government states that it agrees with most of the Committee's recommendations on decarbonising home heating, some with target dates still "to be confirmed", and disagrees with one, on gas network decommissioning.
- On heat pump running costs, the government agrees with the recommendation, but implementation is "dependent on further steers from new ministers" and no date is set. It says it "is considering" the best way to bring costs down.
- On installer numbers, the government agrees, with a target of Summer 2025. It says decisions on future training support "will form part of Spending Review 2025 (SR25)", as the Heat Training Grant is funded until April 2025.
- On data, the government agrees to publish quarterly data on retrofit installations using government funding, with a target of Winter 2024. It "cannot commit" to publishing data on new builds or unfunded installations "until a suitable mechanism is found".
- The government disagrees with the recommendation to set out gas network decommissioning arrangements by end-June 2025, saying a full assessment "will require more time". It says it is "currently exploring ways" to facilitate the transition.