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- May 2022
Household Support Fund extended to 31 March 2023
The government has extended the Household Support Fund to 31 March 2023 with an additional £500 million, bringing total funding announced since October 2021 to £3 billion including Barnett impact.
NEA responds to BEIS consultation on Energy Bills Support scheme
National Energy Action has told BEIS that its Energy Bills Support scheme has significant deficiencies, warning that the poorest households may receive less or no benefit while paying for it.
Cost of living support package announced
The government doubled supplier loans to £400 per household as non-refundable payments and added payments of £650, £300 and £150, raising the local authority fund to £1.5 billion.
End Fuel Poverty Coalition writes to Chancellor over ten failures in energy bills plans
The End Fuel Poverty Coalition has written to the Chancellor listing ten unanswered questions about the Government's 26 May energy bills support and asking for a meeting to discuss them.
- April 2022
New Welsh Government estimates show up to 45% of Welsh households in fuel poverty
New official Welsh Government estimates show up to 45% of households in Wales are likely to be in fuel poverty, with 115,000 households in severe fuel poverty, according to National Energy Action.
Over 6.3 million homes to be in fuel poverty from 1 April 2022
The End Fuel Poverty Coalition estimates more than 6.3 million homes will be in fuel poverty from 1 April 2022, with 2.2 million of them households containing dependent children.
Energy Company Obligation expanded to £1 billion per year from 2022-2026
The Energy Company Obligation will be expanded to £1 billion a year from 2022 to 2026 under the British Energy Security Strategy, supporting 113,000 low-income households annually.
Ofgem price cap increase to coincide with predicted rise in child fuel poverty to over 2.5m households
End Fuel Poverty Coalition calculations predict more than 2.5 million households with children will be in fuel poverty from 1 April 2022, when the next Ofgem price cap increase takes effect.
- March 2022
Additional Household Support Fund funding provided
The Chancellor added £500 million to the Household Support Fund from April 2022, doubling its total to £1 billion, alongside a five-year VAT cut on home energy saving materials.
Chancellor announces further £500 million for the Household Support Fund
The Chancellor announced a further £500 million for the Household Support Fund in the March 2022 Spring Statement, bringing total funding for the scheme to £1 billion since October 2021.
Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund began delivery
The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund began delivering energy efficiency measures in March 2022, part of a year in which government-backed scheme installations fell 55 per cent.
- February 2022
UK Government releases new fuel poverty statistics for England
Government figures show 3.16 million English households in fuel poverty in 2020, and the charity National Energy Action warns current progress would take over 60 years to meet statutory targets.
Government announced further £67 million for Home Upgrade Grant phase one
The government announced a further £67 million on 21 February 2022, offered to successful local authorities to supplement funding under Home Upgrade Grant phase one.
NEA calls UK Government energy crisis measures woefully inadequate
National Energy Action has called the UK Government's £200 rebate and Council Tax support woefully inadequate, saying prepayment households still face a gap of more than £500 a year.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed by Chancellor
The Chancellor has confirmed the Warm Home Discount will rise to £150 and cover three million households from October, as Ofgem's price cap increase pushes average bills up by more than 54 per cent.
Levelling Up White Paper published
The Levelling Up White Paper of 2 February 2022 sets out funding for energy efficiency in the worst performing homes and cites over 240,000 low carbon jobs by 2035.
Additional tolerable standard requirement delayed
Scottish Ministers have delayed by one year the date on which fire and carbon monoxide detection and warning equipment becomes part of the tolerable standard for housing in Scotland.
UK Government releases new fuel poverty statistics for England
New government fuel poverty statistics for England show a lack of progress towards statutory commitments, with charities warning it will take over 60 years to meet them.
SHDF wave 1 awarded £179 million to 69 projects
Wave 1 of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund awarded £179 million to 69 projects in February 2022, upgrading up to 20,000 social housing properties across England.
- January 2022
New Approved Document Part O on overheating introduced
The government's Approved Document Part O, covering overheating in new homes and buildings where people sleep overnight, has been introduced, with two routes to compliance and implications for apartment and communal heating schemes.
NEA Northern Ireland welcomes launch of DfC Emergency Fuel Payment Scheme but says £2M budget falls short
National Energy Action Northern Ireland has welcomed the Department for Communities Emergency Fuel Payment Scheme for 20,000 households but says its £2 million budget falls far short of what is needed.
Energy Saving Trust publishes response to off-gas-grid fossil fuel heating consultation
The Energy Saving Trust has published its response to a government consultation on phasing out fossil fuel heating in homes off the gas grid, backing a heat pump first approach from 2026.
NEA publishes response to BEIS consultation on phasing out fossil fuel heating in off gas grid homes
National Energy Action has told BEIS that phasing out fossil fuel heating off the gas grid must come with adequate funding and advice for low income households, including support for hybrid systems.