Citizens Advice published a report on 29 July 2026 calling on the government to develop a comprehensive national advice strategy for energy home upgrades1. The charity said the strategy should be built around three levels of consumer support: information, advice and in-home assessments1.
The report states that the energy home upgrade market is difficult for consumers to navigate, describing it as "a complex market which is characterised by significant information asymmetries and unfamiliar technologies"1. It points to new products and services, "from plug-in solar to optimisation software", reshaping how consumers use energy, and says entrenched inequalities mean wealthier consumers can afford specialist advice and access peer-to-peer networks that reduce the likelihood of poor outcomes1.
"The government must develop a comprehensive national advice strategy, built around improving access to and quality of information provision, advice services and in-home assessments."
The recommendations are set out at three levels1:
| Level | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Information | A digital directory and information hub hosted on gov.uk and delivered by the Warm Homes Agency, for consumers looking for evidence-based information on energy home upgrades |
| Advice | Minimum standards for local retrofit services, plus a minimum level of free, tailored, independent advice available nationally to everyone, no matter where they live |
| In-home assessments | High quality independent assessments, integrated into the design of new energy efficiency schemes and government-backed loans, with digital logbooks rolled out in the retrofit market |
Citizens Advice said the government's Warm Homes Plan has the potential to improve living standards and the affordability of energy across the country, and that an expanded Boiler Upgrade Scheme and promised new grants for low-income households could bring upgrades to those who stand to benefit most1. It also said new government-backed loans could reduce upfront cost barriers for millions of consumers1. The report states that the newly announced Warm Homes Agency is expected to play an important role in providing information and oversight of delivery1. The report draws on qualitative research produced by People Powered Retrofit and Shortwork, published in July 20261.
Why it matters for households
Energy home upgrades, from insulation to heat pumps and solar, involve unfamiliar technologies and large sums, and the report's central claim is that the market makes it hard for households to judge what they are buying1. Its proposed remedies are aimed at the point where a household decides what to install and who to trust: a single government-backed source of information, a baseline of free independent advice wherever a home is, and an assessment of the property itself before work is designed or financed1. For a household's energy independence, the practical effect would be that decisions about generating or storing power at home rest on an assessment of the building rather than on a sales visit, and that the same minimum advice is available regardless of location1. The report does not set out costs, funding or delivery dates for any of the three levels, and none have been reported1.
What happens next
No timetable for the strategy has been reported. The report says the Warm Homes Agency is expected to play an important role in providing information and oversight of delivery, and that assessments should be integrated into the design of new energy efficiency schemes and government-backed loans1. The government has not responded to the recommendations in the material published on 29 July 20261.
Households looking for independent help with suppliers and complaints can find it through energy consumer bodies such as Citizens Advice, Consumer Scotland and the Consumer Council, and through the energy complaints and redress system. The wider framework for home energy schemes sits within UK home energy regulation and policy.