National £7bn-a-year retrofit plan would cut £430 from households’ annual energy bills
Retrofitting low-efficiency homes would save English households an average £430 off their bills, according to a new report from a progressive London-based thinktank.
The report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) laid out a £7bn-a-year plan for the next 28 years, which involves retrofitting nearly all 24 million homes across England with good insulation and a heat pump.
The IPPR said the plan would create 2.7 million new jobs, both direct and indirect, and provide areas in need of levelling-up with twice as many retrofitting schemes as London.
The thinktank said it would create more than 61,200 new direct retrofitting jobs in the North East, equivalent to more than 5% of the total job market in the region. In London, retrofitting jobs would represent just over 2% of total employment.
Read More
The report made five recommendations for the government, including to introduce stricter Energy Performance Certificate minimum standards and deciding on a phase-out date banning the sale of oil and gas boilers.
The government said it will ban gas boilers in new build homes in 2025 at the earliest.
The IPPR has also recommended expanding training standards to invest in skills, introduce a “one stop shop” for financial support, launch a campaign, and increase funding to councils to deliver the retrofitting schemes
Joshua Emden, senior research fellow at the IPPR, said: “The UK is in the middle of the worst energy bill crisis for at least 50 years.
“The price cap freeze shields us from absolute catastrophe, but many households are already struggling with last April’s increases. It is vital that the government takes steps to make us less vulnerable in future.”
Mr Emden added that the country, the economy and the climate “would be better off” if the plan was adopted.
Luke Murphy, head of the environmental justice commission and associate director of the energy, climate, housing and infrastructure team at IPPR, said the plan “could deliver on so many objectives at the same time” and is a “no-brainer”.
He added: “The new prime minister and chancellor have said they want to focus on growth.
“This report shows that a national retrofit programme can deliver jobs and growth right across the country, and deliver levelling-up at the same time.
“It would also lower energy bills, reduce energy demand and our dependence on Putin, and lessen carbon emissions.”
Sign up for our asset management newsletter
Already have an account? Click here to manage your newsletters
Related Content
£100k grants for five schools' climate projects announced by Let's Go Zero
- © Ocean Media Group