On 20 September 2023, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak set out what he called a "new approach" to net zero, delaying or weakening several core climate policies. Under the changes, the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars has been pushed back by five years to 2035, the 2035 phaseout of gas boiler sales has been loosened, and landlords will not be obliged to insulate their rental properties to higher standards1.
On cars, the government has confirmed that the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate will remain in place, after some initial confusion1. From January 2024, the mandate was due to require 22% of vehicles sold to be electric, rising to 80% in 2030, with manufacturers facing fines of up to £15,000 a car for missing the target1. The Department of Transport is yet to respond to its ZEV consultation, which closed in May, and the mandate will still need to be voted on in the House of Commons before it comes into force1.
On heating, the ban on the sale of oil, LPG and new coal heating for off-gas-grid homes moves from 2026 to 2035, a deadline originally set following a 2021 consultation1. The 2025 ban on fossil-fuel boilers in new homes and the wider 2035 ban remain, but with new exemptions for households expected to cover about a fifth of homes1. The grant for heat pumps will now be increased to £7,500, up from £5,000 for air-source and £6,000 for ground-source units, though whether overall scheme funding rises was not specified1.
Sunak also announced that he was scrapping planned regulations on minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) for rental properties1.
"We'll never force anyone to rip out their existing boiler and replace it with a heat pump. You'll only ever have to make the switch when you're replacing your boiler anyway and, even then, not until 2035."
The reaction was divided. Over 400 companies and civil society groups signed an open letter opposing the rollback, and politicians from across the spectrum criticised the changes, with some calling for a snap general election1. Others welcomed the changes1. Polling by More In Common in the week of the speech found that, by a 49-18 point margin, the public would prefer the government to do more rather than less to reach net zero, and that 41% of people are "less likely" to vote Conservative if the government does not stick to its climate commitments1. The government's statutory climate advisers have written to the government asking to see how it still expects to meet its targets in light of the changes1.
Why it matters for households
The delay to the petrol and diesel car ban means new petrol and diesel cars can be sold until 2035, five years later than previously legislated, though second-hand sales were always to remain permitted1. For homes off the gas grid, the postponement of the oil, LPG and coal heating ban to 2035 removes the 2026 deadline that would have affected around 1.7m mostly rural homes1. The higher heat pump grant of £7,500 changes the upfront cost of one low-carbon heating route, though the overall budget for the scheme was not specified1. Dropping the rental energy efficiency rules means landlords face no new obligation to insulate, which affects tenants in less efficient homes. The ZEV mandate remaining in place means manufacturers still face a rising electric sales requirement from January 20241.
What happens next
The ZEV mandate still requires a vote in the House of Commons before coming into force1. The Department of Transport has not yet responded to its ZEV consultation, which closed in May1. The Climate Change Committee has asked the government to explain how it expects to meet its legally binding targets following the changes1.