Energy UK, the trade body for the energy industry, published its response on 10 September 2026 to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero consultation on reforming consumer protection for home upgrade schemes1. The response sets out positions on installer accountability, the role of the Warm Homes Agency and the accreditation landscape1.
Energy UK said it welcomes proposed steps to raise the visibility and accountability of installers in government-funded schemes through greater scrutiny, audit and data sharing1. It supports a centrally held database of businesses qualified to deliver government-funded works, and said this could be strengthened by requiring Retrofit Coordinators to adopt a single registration ID across all schemes1. Subcontractors, it said, should be required to hold the same competencies, qualifications and certifications as the main contractor1.
On accreditation, Energy UK called for a single certification body to reduce fragmentation, operating as a not-for-profit1. It said rationalisation should help smaller installer businesses take part in government-funded schemes by encouraging consistent compliance requirements and expectations around administration1.
"A single certification body should be established to reduce fragmentation in the landscape. Government should be ambitious and act at pace to deliver this, without compromising the quality of outcomes. This body should operate as a non-for-profit."
The response identifies a gap for households that pay for work themselves. Energy UK said consumers self-funding or privately financing a project will not have access to the enhanced protections, that there is no barrier to entry in the broader retrofit market, and that this leaves customers exposed1. It suggested allowing privately financing customers to access information from the Warm Homes Agency, such as the list of accredited installers, would help reduce detriment and drive more installers to seek compliance with government-backed schemes1.
Energy UK also said the Warm Homes Agency should prioritise quality assurance and pre- and post-installation assistance and advice, including case management, over other proposed functions1. It said the end-to-end service must be national and maintain a consistent level of access to consumer protections for all households1. On the supply chain, it said businesses must be able to access adequate support for upskilling on quality assurance changes, to encourage compliance and prevent significant additional cost burden on businesses struggling since the closure of ECO1. It added that government should implement stronger standards in building regulations and ensure financial protection products for fully government funded installations, such as Insurance Backed Guarantees, have sufficient protections1. It said simplification of domestic low-carbon upgrades should be aligned with the development of the regulatory framework for heat networks1.
Why it matters for households
The consultation concerns the protections that sit behind government-funded home upgrade work, such as insulation and heating measures delivered through publicly backed schemes. For a household, the practical questions are who is accountable when an installation goes wrong, what qualifications the people doing the work hold, and how a complaint is handled. Energy UK's positions point to a single register of qualified businesses, matching requirements for subcontractors and main contractors, and case management support through the Warm Homes Agency1.
The response also draws a line between funded and self-funded work. Households paying privately would not, on Energy UK's account, get the enhanced protections, and it says there is no barrier to entry in the broader retrofit market1. That distinction matters for any home considering measures outside a government scheme. The Installer Schemes and Consumer Codes guide covers how TrustMark, RECC and HIES operate, and TrustMark vs HIES compares the two. Certification arrangements for individual trades are set out in Competent Person Schemes, with window and door certification compared in FENSA vs Certass. The department running the consultation is covered in DESNZ, and the wider framework in UK Home Energy Regulation and Policy.
What happens next
The response is dated 10 September 2026 and was published in Energy UK's consultation responses category1. No date for the government's response to the consultation, or for any resulting changes to the consumer protection regime, has been reported1.