Select committee: Public Accounts Committee
Conclusion 32
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 ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
Alongside industry, some written submissions highlighted that households were unclear over the role of hydrogen. Octopus Energy told us that there was “widespread 53 Qq 92, 93 54 Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Correspondence – Hydrogen Heating Town pilot: letter to Gas Distribution Networks – update, 9 May 2024. 55 Qq 86–88 56 Qq 85, 94; C&AG’s Report, para 2.5 57 DHH0036, Written evidence submitted by Hydrogen UK, 29 April 2024 58 Qq 92, 94 59 DHH0036 60 DHH0012, Written evidence submitted by E3G, 29 April 2024 61 DHH0014 62 DHH0046 Decarbonising home heating 19 customer confusion and investments in electrification are being held back”.63 Centrica also reported that customers were “unwilling” to make their own decisions on whether to install particular low-carbon heating measures while there is uncertainty over which options they could take in the future.64 The Chartered Institute for Housing added that some social housing providers are employing a “wait and see” approach, awaiting the government’s decision on hydrogen, to decarbonise at least some of their homes.65 In October 2023, DESNZ set out that heat pumps and heat networks will be the main low- carbon heating technologies over the next decade, with “the potential for hydrogen to play a role in slower time in some locations”. DESNZ told us that it was thinking about the locations and buildings where hydrogen might be used, but that anyone looking to install a heat pump should do so, irrespective of where they live.66
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.