Powering Homes News: page 103
- April 2022
Energy Company Obligation expanded to £1 billion per year from 2022-2026
The Energy Company Obligation will be expanded to £1 billion a year from 2022 to 2026 under the British Energy Security Strategy, supporting 113,000 low-income households annually.
Energy Security Strategy published with home energy efficiency largely absent
The UK Green Building Council said the government's Energy Security Strategy was "deeply disappointing" on home energy efficiency, with four policy measures announced but no comprehensive plan for upgrading the country's 29 million homes.
Final impact assessment published for Wales Part L, Part F and Part O changes
The Welsh Government has published its final impact assessment for changes to Parts L, F and O of the Building Regulations for residential buildings in Wales.
Rules and RegulationScotland, Wales and Northern IrelandInsulation and GlazingCooling and Air Conditioning
Four energy efficiency policy elements announced alongside the strategy
Four home energy efficiency measures accompanied the Energy Security Strategy, including an advice service by summer, energy performance standards detail in May, £10m for green finance and a £30m heat pump competition.
GGL allowance applies from cap period eight starting 1 April 2022
Ofgem has decided to add a Green Gas Levy allowance to the default tariff cap from cap period eight, which began on 1 April 2022, at about £2.69 per gas meter.
UK Government announces energy support package for Great Britain households
The UK Government announced a package of support for almost all households in Great Britain in April 2022, including the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme and an Energy Price Guarantee capping a typical bill at £2,500.
Energy Bills and the Price CapGrants and SchemesRules and Regulation
Government commits to 2035 phase-out of new and replacement gas boiler sales
The government has set 2035 as the date by which it intends to phase out the sale of new and replacement gas boilers, in its British Energy Security Strategy.
Government launches REMA programme
The government has launched the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements, a programme to reform Great Britain's electricity markets for a secure, low carbon system.
Government publishes response to ECO reform consultation
The government published its response to the summer 2021 consultation on reforming the Energy Company Obligation in April 2022, raising the minimum requirement for upgrading the least efficient private homes from 100,000 to 150,000.
Government renames Energy Bills Discount as the Energy Bills Support Scheme
The Government published an explainer on 1 April 2022 renaming the Energy Bills Discount as the Energy Bills Support Scheme, the £400 grant later paid to households over winter 2022-23.
Grants and SchemesRules and RegulationEnergy Bills and the Price Cap
Government response to ECO4 consultation published
The government published its response to the ECO4 consultation on 1 April 2022, setting the Energy Company Obligation's rules for April 2022 to March 2026 and confirming a £4 billion scheme across Great Britain.
Great Britain introduced a temporary zero rate for energy-saving material installations
From 1 April 2022, Great Britain introduced a temporary zero rate of VAT on installing energy-saving materials in homes, reversed the 2019 restrictions and reinstated wind and water turbines as qualifying materials.
Great Britain reversed the legislative changes
VAT relief on installing energy-saving materials that had been narrowed in 2019 was reinstated in Great Britain from 1 April 2022, with Northern Ireland following on 1 May 2023.
Great British Nuclear Vehicle to be set up this year
The government's British Energy Security Strategy sets out plans to set up a Great British Nuclear Vehicle this year and expand nuclear, hydrogen and renewables capacity.
Group 23 inserted into Schedule 8 Part II by the Value Added Tax (Installation of Energy-Saving Materials) Order 2022
The Value Added Tax (Installation of Energy-Saving Materials) Order 2022 inserted Group 23 into Schedule 8 Part II of the Value Added Tax Act 1994 with effect from 1 April 2022.
Group 23 period begins in England, Wales and Scotland
Zero rating for VAT on installing energy-saving materials in homes in England, Wales and Scotland applies to supplies made from 1 April 2022, under a group running to 31 March 2027.
Heat pumps become cheaper to run than gas boilers
Analysis published by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit finds that from April 2022 an electric heat pump will cost less to run than a gas boiler, as gas prices drive the price cap up.
MIS 3005 standards due to come into force
The MCS heat pump standard MIS 3005 splits into separate design and installation standards on 1 April 2022, the same day the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive closes.
Offshore wind ambition raised to up to 50GW by 2030 including up to 5GW floating
The UK government has raised its offshore wind ambition to up to 50GW by 2030, including up to 5GW of floating wind, in its British Energy Security Strategy.
Ofgem decides to remove the wall type distinction for heating measures in ECO4
Ofgem has confirmed it will remove the wall type distinction for heating measures under ECO4, publishing its final decision on the scheme's scoring methodology in April 2022.
Ofgem decides to split the standard heating control measure in ECO4
Ofgem has decided to split the standard heating control measure in ECO4 into two separate measures, a programmer and room thermostat measure and a TRV measure, in its final scoring methodology decision.
Ofgem introduces pitched roof insulation, hybrid wall insulation and district heating connection measures in ECO4
Ofgem has confirmed its final ECO4 scoring methodology, adding pitched roof insulation, hybrid wall insulation and district heating connection measures with partial project scores.
Grants and SchemesRules and RegulationInsulation and Glazing
Ofgem price cap increase to coincide with predicted rise in child fuel poverty to over 2.5m households
End Fuel Poverty Coalition calculations predict more than 2.5 million households with children will be in fuel poverty from 1 April 2022, when the next Ofgem price cap increase takes effect.
Energy Bills and the Price CapRules and RegulationYour Type of Home
Ofgem publishes ring-fencing proposals
Ofgem published proposals in April 2022 to ring-fence customer credit balances and Renewables Obligations payments, part of a financial resilience push after 29 supplier failures.
OLEV grant ended for private homeowners
The Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme, known as the OLEV grant, closed to private homeowners on 31 March 2022, leaving landlords, social housing providers and apartment block owners as the only eligible applicants.
Prepayment meter average bills set to rise to £2,017
Average prepayment meter bills under the price cap were set to rise from £1,309 to £2,017 from 1 April 2022, as Ofgem raised the cap by 54 per cent.
Solid wall minimum target of 90,000 measures set for ECO4
The government has set a minimum target of 90,000 solid wall insulation measures under ECO4, the four-year Energy Company Obligation running from 2022 to 2026, alongside a 150,000-home minimum for private tenure band E, F and G homes.
The split heat pump Standards became mandatory
The MCS heat pump Standard MIS 3005 split into separate design and installation Standards on 1 April 2022, making both mandatory for certified contractors in the UK.
Supplier allowance reduced by 50% from phase 1 of ECO4
The government has cut the ECO4 supplier allowance by half and set out final scheme rules for 2022 to 2026, with obligations calculated on supply volumes above 150GWh of electricity and 350GWh of gas a year.
Warm Homes Programme consultation completed
The Welsh Government has completed a public consultation on the future of the next Warm Homes Programme, with a new scheme expected from 2023 and a policy direction due by autumn 2022.