Workforce planning to deliver clean, secure energy

Energy Security and Net Zero Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 11 Nov 2024 Parliament page
The committee has launched an inquiry on how to build the workforce that is needed to deliver the policies and infrastructure for the UK’s clean, secure energy mission. The inquiry aims to: explore the difficulties in recruiting and retraining the workforce to deliver a clean energy sector and retrofit homes … Read more
20 Recommendations
7 Conclusions
1 Report
4 Oral sessions
4 Events
Activity timeline 10 events
27 Feb
2026
Report published
5 Dec
2025
Report published
13 May
2025
Oral evidence
13 May
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
30 Apr
2025
Oral evidence
30 Apr
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
26 Mar
2025
Oral evidence
26 Mar
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
5 Mar
2025
Oral evidence
5 Mar
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
13 May 2025
View on parliament.uk
Oral evidence
Hugo Jones · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Sarah Jones MP · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
30 Apr 2025
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Oral evidence
Jodie Coe · Northern Powergrid Leah Robson · Your Energy Your Way Sue Ferns · Prospect Trade Union Tom Jarman · Low Carbon Journey
26 Mar 2025
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Oral evidence
Andrew Hockey · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board Anna Markova · Trades Union Congress Brian Berry · Federation of Master Builders David Hughes CBE · Association of Colleges James Fotherby · Aldersgate Group Katy Heidenreich · Offshore Energies UK Simon Ayers MBE · TrustMark Tim Balcon · Construction Industry Training Board
5 Mar 2025
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Oral evidence
Dr Christian Calvillo · University of Strathclyde Dr Richard Hanna · Imperial College London Professor James Robson · University of Oxford
Title HC No. Published Items Response
6th Report - Workforce planning to deliver clean, secure energy HC 393 5 Dec 2025 27 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
11 results
Clear
1 Conclusion Accepted
6th Report - Workforce planning to…
Skilled labour supply insufficient to meet demand for clean energy and decarbonised buildings.
The supply of skilled labour does not currently match the levels of demand expected to be required if the UK is to fulfil Government’s ambitions to deliver clean energy by 2030 and decarbonised buildings by 2050. (Conclusion, Paragraph 29)
Government Response
The government agrees with the conclusion, committing to expand the Energy Skills Passport, provide £20 million for North Sea worker transition, launch a North Sea Jobs Service, and explore developer contributions to a skills fund as part of its Clean Energy Jobs Plan.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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2 Conclusion Accepted
6th Report - Workforce planning to…
Government intervention and public expenditure crucial to address clean energy sector skills gaps.
Fortunately, there is a lot of scope for smart policy and expenditure to be used to collaborate with the whole energy sector, as well as the education and skills sector, to empower and equip existing workers and new entrants to … Read more
Government Response
The government partially agrees, outlining specific actions including an industry-led awareness campaign for clean energy careers, the establishment of a Social Inclusion Forum to coordinate initiatives, and referencing the Post-16 Education and Skills Strategy to build a robust talent pipeline.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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5 Recommendation Accepted
6th Report - Workforce planning to…
Accelerate initiatives promoting clean energy and retrofit careers for under-represented groups and new workforce entrants.
The Government should continue to develop and launch further initiatives to promote clean energy and retrofit careers among under-represented groups and those outside the existing workforce; the actions set out in the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper should be … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the recommendation, stating that the existing Office for Clean Energy Jobs within DESNZ already coordinates work, convenes stakeholders, and identifies skills gaps to build a skilled clean energy workforce, including in retrofit careers.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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7 Conclusion Accepted
6th Report - Workforce planning to…
Government's shared job definitions and expansive approach improve effective workforce planning.
For workforce planning to be effective, it is important that there is some shared definition of the jobs under discussion for support, encouragement and incentivisation; the Government’s clarifications around definitions has been helpful. We also welcome the Government taking an … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the conclusion, outlining how Skills England is working to create long-term certainty for the skills system and how workforce modelling in the Jobs Plan is built on deployment expectations, supported by long-term clean energy investment and carbon budget plans.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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10 Recommendation Accepted
6th Report - Workforce planning to…
Publish Warm Homes Plan demonstrating career focus, tailored messaging, and training support.
The Warm Homes Plan is crucial for retrofit workforce planning and should be published as soon as possible. It must set out a clear framework of responsibilities to ensure joined-up delivery. It should demonstrate the Government is putting good quality, … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees and says that the Warm Homes Plan was published on 21 January 2026 outlining investment to upgrade homes and lift families out of fuel poverty, with policies and initiatives to deliver growth and good jobs, and a taskforce with the TUC to create a skilled workforce.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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11 Recommendation Accepted
6th Report - Workforce planning to…
Effectively resource Office for Clean Energy Jobs to encompass both clean energy and retrofit workforces.
The Office for Clean Energy Jobs should be effectively resourced so that its remit and activity can encompass both the clean energy and the retrofit workforces. (Recommendation, Paragraph 54) Collaborating with and supporting stakeholders
Government Response
The government states that the Office for Clean Energy Jobs is already resourced and plays a crucial convening role between industry, trade unions, and training providers.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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19 Conclusion Accepted
6th Report - Workforce planning to…
Consumer and public sector demand significantly influence skills supply and investment.
Consumer and public sector demand have a significant role to play in increasing the demand for, and therefore exerting influence on the supply of, skills. Longer and more detailed time frames will provide certainty not just for consumers in seeking … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the conclusion, citing actions to influence demand and certainty such as cancelling the ECO scheme, shifting energy costs, publishing responses on EPC reform and private rented sector energy standards, and committing to consult on hydrogen for home heating.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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20 Conclusion Accepted
6th Report - Workforce planning to…
Government can use procurement and policy levers to create demand for skilled roles.
The Government has at its disposal a range of measures, not all of which involve spending public money. There is scope for using procurement, and similar policy levers, to create the demand for skilled roles. (Conclusion, Paragraph 92)
Government Response
The government agrees, highlighting the Warm Homes Plan's projected job creation and stating that DESNZ has set up a taskforce with the TUC to facilitate workforce growth. They also intend to integrate low-income capital schemes by 2027/28.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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22 Recommendation Accepted
6th Report - Workforce planning to…
Incorporate digital skills and modern construction methods into workforce planning for productivity.
In addition to increasing the overall number of workers, we recognise that productivity improvements and new working practices will be essential to meet the scale of labour demand identified in this Report. Evidence submitted on the sheer volume of work … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the recommendation, committing to review the system of standards, oversight, and protections for energy efficiency installations, consult on simplifying the system, and review PAS standards to broaden the definition of competence to ensure installations are completed correctly and reflect evolving practices.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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24 Recommendation Accepted
6th Report - Workforce planning to…
Facilitate a greater role for local authorities to accelerate domestic retrofit roll-out.
We look forward to the Government’s Warm Homes Plan and their estimate of workforce needs and how they will meet it. The Government’s Warm Homes Plan should facilitate a greater role for local authorities to accelerate the roll-out of retrofit. … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the recommendation and states that the Warm Homes Plan is projected to increase the number of jobs supported in energy efficiency and clean heating. DESNZ has set up a taskforce in partnership with the TUC, to facilitate the creation and growth of a diverse, skilled and resilient workforce to meet the demand generated by these initiatives.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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27 Recommendation Accepted
6th Report - Workforce planning to…
Publish evaluation of funding schemes impacting skills supply in retrofit sector
The Government should commit immediately to at least maintaining its support for measures aimed at increasing demand for retrofit during this Parliament. It should also commit to carrying out and publishing an evaluation of the impact of its funding schemes … Read more
Government Response
The government is investing £15 billion through the Warm Homes Plan to upgrade up to five million homes by 2030, and routinely carries out evaluation activities to measure the impact of departmental skills funding.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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Government Response AI assessment · 27 of 20 classified
Accepted 11
Accepted in Part 6
Acknowledged 8
Not Addressed 2
Total 20 recs + 7 conclusions