National Warm Homes Council

By   David Lennan , Chairman,   National Warm Homes Council Progress in taking meaningful action to tackle Britain’s cold homes, improve home energy efficiency and address heat-leaking housing stock has over the last decade been slow. High energy bills and poorly insulated properties adversely affect the most vulnerable in society. But how can we deliver warmer homes and support low-income households with lowering bills and emissions?  According to Friends of the Earth, one-third of all households in the UK, or 9.6 million people, are living in cold, damp and poorly insulated homes. Consequently, the poorest households could be paying up to £500 more a year on their energy bills.  A key reason for this is that the fabric of our houses is of substandard quality. The UK has the oldest and least energy-efficient homes in Europe. Our homes lose heat up to three times faster than our European neighbours.  YouGov polling points to one in four people rating their home ...

By   David Lennan , Chairman,   National Warm Homes Council The government’s  consultation  on the Future Homes and Buildings Standard is a significant opportunity to ensure all new homes built from 2025 produce up to 80% less carbon emissions than currently, and for the UK to reach net zero by 2050.  The proposed new Standard complements further amendments to Part F and Part L of the Building Regulations and aims to decarbonise new homes by improving heating and hot water systems and reducing heat waste – supporting an overall drive for homes that are better for the environment and future-ready. Once legislation is passed (planned for 2025), all new homes must be built according to the Standard.   Neither the importance of this change nor the context can be overstated. It is widely accepted that the UK has the oldest and least energy-efficient housing in Europe. For example, 25% of a home’s heat is typically lost through an uninsulated roof, yet 8 million ...

By   David Lennan , Chairman,   National Warm Homes Council The government’s consultation on its new online calculation method to accurately assess the energy use and energy efficiency of homes in the UK, replacing the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP), closed on 27 March and will input into changes in Buildings Regulations planned for 2025. The draft consultation plans are a positive step in the right direction. But does the new Home Energy Model (HEM), which will replace SAP, go far enough in ensuring assessments are robust and fit for the future?   Changing how we understand and manage home energy efficiency and consumption is on the critical path to net zero and increased levels of home decarbonisation. People want to live in modern homes genuinely future-ready that minimise environmental and social impacts. Reform of SAP has been long overdue, with the industry seeking changes for the last decade, but the regulatory environment has barely moved. That is why the co...

By David Lennan , Chairman, National Warm Homes Council The government recently announced in the Autumn Statement that the list of energy-saving materials (ESMs) that benefit from VAT relief is to be reviewed and expanded following a call for input in March 2023. The government has indicated it will soon set out the full details before a UK-wide implementation from February 2024. But how can an outdated policy framework be reshaped to help deliver net zero, warmer homes and cheaper energy bills?  Plans to update VAT relief for ESMs is an important development that could support the rollout of more energy efficiency measures – helping families to make critical upgrades to their homes to reduce carbon footprints and save on heating costs. The original list of products exempt from VAT was outlined in the VAT Act of 1994 and included solar panels, water turbines and wall insulation. The list was specific rather than just referring to measures that save energy. These rules are now near...