Recommendation 36

Energy efficiency is the quickest and most cost-effective way to reduce gas demand and lower household energy bills. If significant strides are not made to reduce demand, it will become increasingly challenging and expensive to decarbonise 106 Decarbonisation of the power sector the electricity system. We call on the Government to bring forward the £6 billion funding package for energy efficiency allocated for the period 2025 to 2028 to now. The Government should prioritise delivering a locally co-ordinated programme of energy efficiency and home retrofit. This should be paired with a communications campaign on the benefits of home improvements and fuel switching. We recommend that the Government uses new powers in the Energy Bill to urgently reform the flawed EPC rating system, so that it gives a more accurate reflection of overall energy use and emissions, as soon as the Bill is enacted. (Paragraph 166) Delivery risks to the Government’s 2035 target