Labour released an updated Environmental Improvement Plan on 1 December 2025, according to HETAS, the solid fuel and biomass certification body1. The release follows a rapid review of the previous plan that was announced on 30 July 20241.
The Environmental Improvement Plan published in 2023 was the first revision of the 25 Year Environment Plan, setting out how government would act to reduce environmental pollution and restore nature1. The rapid review was announced after the Office for Environmental Protection published progress reports in which the annual pace and scale of action were deemed insufficient across multiple areas, and after the Labour government came into power1. Steve Reed, the Defra Secretary of State, formally requested advice from the OEP as part of the process1.
The review assessed three areas: progress in delivering the EIP since the last review in January 2023, environmental data and indicators of change in the natural environment, and expected delivery of existing measures against targets set out in the Environment Act1. It identified areas for improvement including evidence co-ordination with other parties, delivery and accountability clarification, process prioritisation, engagement and collaboration with stakeholders across different sectors, and creating more simplified, sustained funding1.
The government's stated aims in revising the plan include making its actions clearer, highlighting the societal and economic growth that follow environmental protection, clarifying Environment Act target delivery plans and updating interim targets, communicating how the plan will be delivered, and streamlining non-statutory commitments1. HETAS reported that the interim statement is broad, covering all areas of the EIP and the Environment Act targets, and that there are no specific mentions of air quality nor future actions to continue to reduce emissions1.
"This interim statement is broad, covering all areas of the EIP and the Environment Act targets, so there are no specific mentions of air quality nor future actions to continue to reduce emissions."
Why it matters for households
The plan sits behind the regulation and policy that shapes how homes are heated, including rules on solid fuel and domestic burning. HETAS noted that the interim statement does not address air quality or further emissions reductions, so it is not yet reported what the revised plan will mean for stoves, fuels or local smoke control rules1. For a household weighing up a wood burner or other solid fuel appliance, the immediate regulatory position is unchanged by this announcement as far as the sources state. The review's emphasis on simplified, sustained funding and clearer delivery roles concerns how environmental measures are paid for and administered, which can affect the grants and local schemes households encounter, though no specific scheme changes are reported1.
What happens next
The revised EIP was due to be released in 2025, and the 1 December 2025 publication is that release1. HETAS said it will update on new delivery plans, aims and objectives when the full revised plan is released, and that it works with all UK governments and devolved administrations1. No further dated steps are reported1.