The Government set out three principles for reform of consumer protection in October, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Martin McCluskey, told the House of Commons on 17 June 2026. The principles are that work should be right first time, that the process should be simple, and that there should be swift remediation and a straightforward process for redress1.
Speaking in a debate on consumer protection in the energy market, McCluskey said the Government was launching a consultation on consumer protection, seeking views on simplifying what he called a fragmented landscape and establishing a single, accessible, end-to-end consumer protection service for home upgrades1. He said this would have powers to enforce better service through contracts that hold installers and delivery partners to account, including bans from working on Government schemes if they do not meet high standards1.
"Today we are launching a consultation on consumer protection, seeking views on how we can simplify the current fragmented landscape and establish a single, accessible, end-to-end consumer protection service for home upgrades"
On faulty solid wall insulation installed under the ECO4 and GBIS schemes, McCluskey said the "Find and Fix" programme launched at the end of last year had contacted over 10,000 properties and arranged over 5,000 audits1. He said the National Energy Foundation would contact homeowners and arrange remediation of both internal and external wall insulation where the installer is no longer trading and the guarantee is missing, fraudulent or cancelled1. He also announced that the Installation Assurance Authority will now cover the cost of repairs up to £25,000 where these fall within the terms of the original, still-valid IAA guarantee, up from a £20,000 limit1.
| Measure | Detail |
|---|---|
| Find and Fix audits | Over 10,000 properties contacted, over 5,000 audits arranged1 |
| IAA guarantee cover | Repairs up to £25,000, within the terms of a valid guarantee1 |
| Previous guarantee limit | £20,0001 |
McCluskey said ECO4 and GBIS had some of the highest levels of non-compliance the Government had seen1. On spray foam, he said many households had encountered problems when selling their home, that independent advice had been published by the Property Care Association, and that Nationwide, Lloyds, Santander and Barclays had confirmed they would not take a blanket approach to houses with spray foam1. He said he was planning a follow-up roundtable with the sector later in the summer1.
The Government also responded to its consultation on strengthening protections in the energy supply market, enhancing the powers of the Energy Ombudsman and making it easier for consumers to complain about their retail supplier1. McCluskey said the ombudsman would get stronger powers, including the ability to issue a penalty fee that ends up as compensation for consumers1.
Why it matters for households
The three principles and the consultation concern how a household gets a problem fixed when a home upgrade goes wrong, and who pays. The measures described cover the route from the installer to a guarantee provider and, where that fails, to a named body. For homes with faulty ECO4 and GBIS solid wall insulation, the audit and remediation routes set out here determine whether repair costs fall on the household or on industry. The raised IAA guarantee limit changes the ceiling on what a valid guarantee covers. For homes with spray foam, the stated position of four major lenders affects whether a property can be sold or remortgaged without a blanket objection. The ombudsman changes concern disputes with energy suppliers rather than with installers.
What happens next
The consumer protection consultation is open, with no closing date given in the debate1. Remediation by the National Energy Foundation will follow audits, with eligible homes identified through them1. McCluskey said the Government would continue to work on solutions for cases exceeding the guarantee limit and hoped other guarantee providers would follow the IAA's lead1. A follow-up roundtable with the mortgage sector is planned for later in the summer1.
Sources1 cited
- Energy Market: Consumer Protection - Hansard - UK Parliament, hansard.parliament.uk