NEA responds to Environmental Audit Committee report calling for front loading of energy efficiency spending to help fuel poor households

For further information on the detail of this release contact Matt Copeland, Policy Manager at NEA

Today the Environmental Audit Committee has published a report on how to improve the energy efficiency of the UK’s building stock. To stimulate activity, they call for schemes such as the Home Upgrade Grants, Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and phase two of the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery Scheme to be front-loaded and rolled out without delay.

 Adam Scorer, Chief Executive of NEA comments:

“This timely report shows the importance of properly funding domestic energy efficiency to meet climate and fuel poverty targets.

“Government has committed the first year of funding for the fuel poverty schemes promised in its manifesto. But that remains a piecemeal approach which compromises the effectiveness of the programme and leaves too many people on the lowest incomes surviving in the least efficient homes.

“The remainder of the promised funding for these schemes must be committed now, with a significant portion of the money being spent in the early years of the scheme.

More than that, public funding needs to be focused on supporting the ‘worst first’ so that the 3.18 million fuel poor homes in the UK can reduce their energy costs and live in a warm dry home.’’

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. NEA works across England, Wales and Northern Ireland to ensure that everyone in the UK can afford to live in a warm, dry home. For more information about visit www.nea.org.uk.
2. To see the Environmental Audit Committee report on Energy Efficiency of Existing Homes, click here.
3. The latest Government Fuel Poverty Statistics for England showed that in 2019, there were an estimated 13.4 per cent of households (3.18 million) in fuel poverty in England under the LILEE metric, down from 15.0 per cent in 2018 (3.52 million). See here.
4. In its budget submission to the Treasury, NEA called on the Government to:
   • Commit the remaining budget for the Home Upgrade Grant scheme & Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund for the remainder of this Parliament.
   • Help accelerate the repayment of utility debts across the UK by enhancing Fuel and Water Direct
   • Extend and strengthen the increase to Universal Credit (UC)
   • For the full budget submission click here.