Powering Homes news, page 19
- December 2025
Fire safety roof insulation report published
The Building Safety Regulator has published research into spray foam roof insulation, finding that combustible retrofit insulation can still meet the highest roof classification despite increasing fire load.
Government launches consultation on the future of heating for oil heated homes
The government has opened a consultation on how oil heated homes should be heated in future, proposing a switch to heat pumps or heat networks, with responses due by 10 February 2026.
Committee on Fuel Poverty response to Warm Home Discount consultation published
The Committee on Fuel Poverty has published its response to the government consultation on continuing the Warm Home Discount Scheme, covering England, Scotland and Wales.
Guide updated with price cap based appliance running costs
Confused.com has updated its appliance running cost guide, pricing average household use against the price cap of £1,755 that runs until 31 December 2025.
Ofgem Debt Relief Scheme statutory consultation closes
Ofgem's statutory consultation on how its Energy Debt Relief Scheme will work closed on 18 December 2025, with the scheme to be delivered in two phases during 2026.
Quarterly Energy Prices: December 2025 published
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has published the December 2025 edition of Quarterly Energy Prices, its accredited official statistics on domestic and industrial fuel prices.
SSEN Distribution announces partnership with Asthma + Lung UK
SSEN Distribution has announced a partnership with Asthma + Lung UK to raise awareness of free Priority Services support for people with lung conditions during power cuts.
MCS welcomed an opportunity to co-lead a distributed energy assets project
MCS has welcomed an opportunity to co-lead a project on improving the visibility of distributed energy assets, announced on its working groups page dated 12th December 2025.
Myson fan convectors modified for low temperature heating
Myson has modified its fan convectors so they start at lower water temperatures, widening the range of emitters that can run on low temperature heating systems such as heat pumps.
Carbon Brief reports net-zero scenario is cheapest option per NESO modelling
NESO modelling finds a net-zero pathway would be the cheapest option for Great Britain, saving £36bn a year by 2050 once climate damages are counted.
UK Power Networks launches Home Energy Saver website
UK Power Networks has launched Home Energy Saver, a website giving households personalised energy-saving plans, financial support information and two calculators for grants and appliance use.
Barcode Energy - Fuel Division trading from this date
The Energy Ombudsman lists Barcode Energy - Fuel Division as an active member from 10 December 2025, giving its customers access to dispute resolution.
MCS published updated standards for air-to-air heat pump implementation
MCS published updated heat pump standards in December 2025 covering air-to-air products and installations, the first step before the technology is fully implemented into its certification schemes.
Consumer Scotland publishes response to UK Government consultation on the energy ombudsman
Consumer Scotland has backed a four-week wait before householders can escalate an energy complaint to the Energy Ombudsman, and financial penalties for suppliers that ignore its decisions.
Consultation on moving Warm Home Discount cost recovery to the unit rate opens
The government has opened a consultation on moving recovery of Warm Home Discount costs, £39 on a typical dual fuel bill, from the standing charge to the unit rate from April 2026.
Cumberland Council reports Warm Homes initiative savings and scheme dates
Cumberland Council reports 589 households approved for free energy-saving home improvements under ECO4 Flex between August 2024 and October 2025, with 387 homes upgraded and average annual bill savings of £1,516.
ECO4 cost recovery consultation launched
The government has opened a consultation on amending the ECO4 Order so that public grant funding can pay energy suppliers for the scheme, running until 5 January 2026.
ECO4 Delivery Guidance version 3.2 published
Ofgem published version 3.2 of its ECO4 delivery guidance on 8 December 2025, clarifying when non-compliant measures are rejected and how rural areas are defined in Scotland.
SSEN moves to Yellow Alert preparedness status ahead of Storm Bram
SSEN has moved to Yellow Alert preparedness status in the north of Scotland ahead of Storm Bram, with storm-force winds forecast from Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday morning.
GB Energy publishes its 5-year strategic plan
Great British Energy has published a five-year strategic plan setting three priorities to 2030, alongside an Ofgem investment package worth £28 billion for the gas and electricity networks.
Ofgem confirms £28 billion grid investment
Ofgem has confirmed a £28 billion network investment package, with £17.8 billion for gas reinforcement and £10.3 billion for electricity transmission across 80 projects over five years.
Ofgem publishes RIIO-3 Final Determination
Ofgem published its RIIO-3 Final Determination for gas and electricity transmission companies and gas distribution networks on 4 December 2025, setting network revenues that feed through to household bills.
Toyota to expand EV charging ecosystem across the UK
Toyota Motor Europe will launch demand side response charging in the UK in 2026 with British Gas, and plans vehicle-to-grid integration as part of a wider European charging ecosystem.
Citizens Advice published its ED3 consultation response
Citizens Advice has published its detailed response to Ofgem's consultation on the Sector-Specific Methodology for the ED3 price control, which will set network charges from 2028 to 2033.
Extra £1.5 billion announced at Autumn Budget for the switch to electric
The government has added four electric models to the top band of the Electric Car Grant and confirmed an extra £1.5 billion at the Autumn Budget, including £1.3 billion for the grant and £200 million for chargepoints.
Four more EV models qualify for maximum £3,750 Electric Car Grant discount
Four more electric car models now qualify for the maximum £3,750 Electric Car Grant discount, doubling the number of vehicles in the top band to eight.
North East Mayor launches free energy advice service for the region
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness has launched North East Warm Homes, a free energy advice service funded by the North East Combined Authority as part of a £4m initiative.
Over 3,076,000 safety issues identified during smart meter installations
Smart Energy GB says installers carrying out free visual safety checks during smart meter visits identified more than 3,076,000 unrelated safety issues in Great Britain between 2017 and December 2025.
BEV registrations exceed ZEV mandate target for the first time in 2025
Battery electric vehicles took 32.2% of UK new car registrations in December 2025, the only month of the year in which the 28% zero emission vehicle mandate target was met.
Binding annual installation targets conclude
Ofgem has confirmed the end of the four-year framework that required energy suppliers to meet binding annual targets for installing smart and advanced meters, with a new phase now under way.