Your Type of Home news, page 5
- January 2025
Government announces action against unreliable installers
Which? has welcomed joint government and Ofgem action to secure repairs for households affected by poor insulation work and urged ministers to set a date for mandatory installer certification.
InstaGroup working on SHDF project in Ealing
InstaGroup is supplying and installing external wall insulation and replacement windows to 44 homes in Ealing, Greater London, under the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.
38 installers suspended from government retrofit schemes
Certification bodies suspended 38 installer businesses from government retrofit schemes after quality failures, a parliamentary committee has reported, with 22 reinstated by November 2025.
Changes to the New Build Heat Standard come into force
Changes to Scotland's New Build Heat Standard came into force on 1 January 2025, permitting bioenergy and peat heating systems and any type of secondary heating in new buildings.
- December 2024
Draft Fuel Poverty Strategy consultation opens in Northern Ireland
The Department for Communities has opened a public consultation on a draft Fuel Poverty Strategy for Northern Ireland, alongside proposals for a new fuel poverty energy efficiency scheme.
Extreme fuel poverty falls to 14.0% in 2024
The Scottish House Condition Survey 2024 reports that 357,000 households, 14.0 per cent of all households in Scotland, were in extreme fuel poverty, a fall of 134,000 from 2023.
New phase of Warm Home Prescription launched with SGN and Fuel Bank Foundation
Energy Systems Catapult has launched a new phase of its Warm Home Prescription service with SGN and the Fuel Bank Foundation, offering energy credits of up to £245 to eligible households in Scotland and southern England.
Scottish fuel poverty rate falls to 28.7% in 2024
The Scottish House Condition Survey 2024 estimates 732,000 households, 28.7 per cent of Scotland's total, were in fuel poverty, down from 859,000 and 33.9 per cent in 2023 as heating fuel prices fell.
- November 2024
Government announces Warm Homes Plan steps with boosted heat pump funding and planning reform
The government has set out the first steps of its Warm Homes Plan, boosting Boiler Upgrade Scheme funding, removing the one metre heat pump planning rule in England and reforming the Clean Heat Market Mechanism.
Birmingham City Council publishes version 6.0 of its ECO4 and GBIS Statement of Intent
Birmingham City Council has published version 6.0 of its Statement of Intent for ECO4 and Great British Insulation Scheme flexible eligibility, covering declarations issued from 1 November 2024 until March 2026.
England planning rules updated to include heat pumps under permitted development
England's permitted development rules were changed in November 2024 to cover heat pumps, dropping the one metre rule and allowing units that provide cooling as well as heating.
Government commits initial £3.4 billion for Warm Homes Plan
The government committed an initial £3.4 billion for its Warm Homes Plan in November 2024, covering financial years 2025-26 to 2027-28, with up to 300,000 households expected to benefit from upgrades.
Scottish Government announced £41 million additional energy cost support
The Scottish Government put £41 million into winter 2024/2025 energy cost support, split between the Scottish Welfare Fund and Warmer Homes Scotland.
- October 2024
Autumn Budget commits £3.4bn to energy efficiency of low-income homes
The Autumn Budget has committed £3.4 billion over three years to improve the energy efficiency of low-income homes, with £1.8 billion directed to fuel poverty schemes.
Household Support Fund extension announced
The Chancellor announced funding on 30 October 2024 to extend the Household Support Fund for a further year, with £742 million going to local authorities in England from April 2025.
Version 3 Statement of Intent withdrawn
The City of Edinburgh Council has withdrawn the 2023 Statement of Intent for ECO4 flexible eligibility Version 3, the document that set out which households the council could declare eligible for ECO4 Flex.
New Homes (Solar Generation) Bill receives first reading
A private member's bill requiring solar panels on new homes in England from October 2026 has had its first reading in the Commons, with a second reading set for 17 January 2025.
Budget allocates £3.4 billion to the Warm Homes Plan
The government allocated £3.4 billion to the Warm Homes Plan in the Autumn Budget, including £1.8 billion for fuel poverty schemes, alongside tax incentives for electric vehicles.
Budget confirms £3.4 billion Warm Homes Plan downpayment but no new energy bill support
The first Budget of the new Government confirmed £3.4 billion for the Warm Homes Plan but offered no new support for households with energy bills this winter.
New crisis route introduced for households without heating or hot water
The Welsh Government has added a crisis route to the Warm Homes Nest scheme, giving one-off emergency repairs to households with no heating or hot water who meet the scheme's eligibility rules.
Government to consult on private rented sector EPC C standard by 2030
The government has said it will consult by the end of the year on requiring privately rented homes in England to reach EPC C by 2030, as analysis puts the winter bill gap between efficient and inefficient homes at £385.
Household Support Fund extended to end of March 2026 at same funding level
The Budget has extended the Household Support Fund to the end of March 2026 at the same cash level as under the previous government, with no inflation adjustment, while confirming £3.4 billion for the Warm Homes Plan.
Research finds 84% of disabled pensioners expect to lose Winter Fuel Payments
Opinium research reported by the End Fuel Poverty Coalition finds 84% of older people with a long-term health condition or disability say they will no longer receive Winter Fuel Payments.
- September 2024
ECO4, ECO Flex and GBIS closed pending Warm Homes Plan announcement
Act on Energy has reported that ECO4, ECO Flex and the Great British Insulation Scheme are closed, with all three waiting on the next UK Government announcement of the Warm Homes Plan.
Household Support Fund extension announced
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has announced an extra £500 million to extend the Household Support Fund in England to 31 March 2025, with £421 million going to local authorities.
Analysis estimates NHS cost of winter fuel payment cut
Analysis from the End Fuel Poverty Coalition estimates that pensioners pushed into cold damp homes by the winter fuel payment cut could cost the NHS more than £169m a year.
Energy Secretary announces warm homes plan for renters
The Energy Secretary has announced plans to ban landlords from renting out properties that fail stricter energy efficiency standards, covering private and social rented housing in England.
- August 2024
Ofgem announces new price cap as NEA projects 400,000 more households in fuel poverty
Ofgem has set a new price cap taking a typical annual energy bill to £1,717 from 1 October, as National Energy Action projects 6 million UK households in fuel poverty.
Analysis finds pensioners face highest energy bills on record this winter
End Fuel Poverty Coalition analysis for the Telegraph finds pensioners who previously received the maximum Winter Fuel Payment will face the highest real-terms energy bills on record in winter 2024/25.
- July 2024
Charities write to Chancellor urging reconsideration of Winter Fuel Payment removal
More than 50 organisations have written to Chancellor Rachel Reeves asking the Government to reconsider restricting the Winter Fuel Payment to pensioners on certain means-tested benefits.