Retrofitting homes for net zero

Energy Security and Net Zero Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 19 Nov 2024 Closed: 31 Dec 2025 Parliament page
Building on the evidence received in the previous Committee’s Heating our homes inquiry, the Committee will hold a one-off session on Retrofitting homes for net zero . The Committee will invite two stakeholder panels to consider the policy changes needed to deliver low carbon heating and energy efficient homes. Read more
20 Recommendations
11 Conclusions
1 Report
2 Oral sessions
1 Letter
2 Events
Activity timeline 7 events
18 Aug
2025
Report published
22 May
2025
Report published
26 Mar
2025
Correspondence
12 Feb
2025
Oral evidence
12 Feb
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
4 Dec
2024
Oral evidence
4 Dec
2024
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 2 sessions
12 Feb 2025
View on parliament.uk
Oral evidence
Amanda Hoyles Andy Manning · Citizens Advice Damian Mercer · Cavity Extraction Ltd Ian Rippin · Microgeneration Certification Scheme Service Company Shabir Hussain · Luton Council Simon Ayers · TrustMark Zak Ashraf
4 Dec 2024
View on parliament.uk
Oral evidence
Andy Prendergast · GMB Jessica Skilbeck · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Joanne Wheeler · UK Green Building Council Madeleine Gabriel · Nesta Maya Fitchett · National Energy Action Miatta Fahnbulleh MP · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Mike Foster · Energy and Utilities Alliance Olivia Haslam · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Robert Panou · Stonewater
Title HC No. Published Items Response
1st Report - Retrofitting homes for net zero HC 453 22 May 2025 31 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
8 results
Clear
2 Recommendation Accepted
1st Report - Retrofitting homes fo…
Streamline and simplify government's retrofit support schemes and eligibility requirements.
It is critical that the Government streamlines and simplifies its support schemes, especially their eligibility requirements. Many schemes are too complicated and have failed to support fuel poor households, while also failing to incentivise able-to-pay households to invest their own … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the need to streamline and simplify support schemes, stating they have already taken steps to simplify eligibility criteria and are learning from previous schemes to reduce administrative burdens. These efforts will inform future programme design within the £13.2 billion Warm Homes Plan.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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8 Conclusion Accepted
1st Report - Retrofitting homes fo…
Energy Performance Certificates deter consumers from low carbon heating due to cost-based bias.
We are deeply concerned that Energy Performance Certificates, as currently calibrated, provide some consumers with poorly conceived advice and have a strong bias against low carbon, but initially more expensive, heating systems. As a cost-based metric, Energy Performance Certificates are … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the concerns regarding Energy Performance Certificates and is reforming them to better align with net zero objectives, with updated EPC metrics expected to be introduced in 2026 under the Home Energy Model after a consultation.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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9 Recommendation Accepted
1st Report - Retrofitting homes fo…
Reform Energy Performance Certificate metric to improve quality and address misuse.
Energy Performance Certificate assessments vary greatly in quality and consistency. It is therefore troubling that they are expected to perform such a range of functions that they were never initially designed for, such as determining eligibility for government support schemes. … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the need for EPC reform and is already engaged in this process. A consultation has outlined proposals for updated EPC metrics to better reflect a building’s energy performance, emissions, and cost, with changes expected to be introduced in 2026 under the Home Energy Model.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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10 Recommendation Accepted
1st Report - Retrofitting homes fo…
Reform Energy Performance Certificate metric, focusing on emissions and energy costs for recommendations.
This report highlights the high and stagnating levels of energy poverty in the UK and the current disincentive that Energy Performance Certificates have on low carbon heating options due to price concerns. We therefore recommend that the Government reforms the … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation to reform EPC metrics and is already engaged in this process, with proposals for updated metrics that will reflect a building’s energy performance, emissions, and cost. Changes are expected to be introduced in 2026 as part of the Home Energy Model.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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22 Recommendation Accepted
1st Report - Retrofitting homes fo…
Review clean heat market measures for effectiveness in increasing heat pump uptake.
The Government should review and assess measures designed to shape and influence the clean heat market, including but not limited to the Clean Heat Market Mechanism, to determine if they remain the most effective ways to increase heat pump uptake. … Read more
Government Response
The government states it closely monitors the clean heat market and the impact of its measures through regular monitoring, third-party evaluations, and consultations, detailing existing schemes and increased funding in the Warm Homes Plan.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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23 Conclusion Accepted
1st Report - Retrofitting homes fo…
Slow transition of skilled home heating workforce to low carbon retrofit, compounded by ageing.
The UK has a skilled home heating workforce but its transition to work on low carbon retrofit is not happening at the pace required to upgrade homes at scale. This is compounded by a twin underlying crisis: few new entrants … Read more
Government Response
The government recognises the need for a skilled workforce, highlighting £13.2bn committed to the Warm Homes Plan, plans to train up to 18,000 workers, extended training grants, new skills programmes, and the development of several retrofit apprenticeships.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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24 Conclusion Accepted
1st Report - Retrofitting homes fo…
Low demand for low carbon retrofit training due to inadequate grants and uncertain sector future.
Training providers are reluctant to invest in courses on low carbon retrofit due to low demand for training. This is underpinned by the uncertain future technical direction of the sector, inadequate training grants, weak promotion of careers in retrofit and … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the need for a skilled supply chain and has committed £13.2 billion to the Warm Homes Plan. They announced plans to train up to 18,000 workers, extended the Heat Training Grant, launched the Warm Homes Skills Programme, and are developing apprenticeships and working with Skills England to address skills gaps.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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28 Conclusion Accepted
1st Report - Retrofitting homes fo…
Complicated consumer protection and accreditation landscapes undermine trust in home retrofit sector.
The consumer protections and workforce accreditation landscapes are excessively complicated, which makes it challenging for consumers to know who to trust. Many consumers are simply unaware of which schemes they can rely upon and what avenues for redress they have … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the complexity and trust issues in consumer protection for retrofit. They announced an intention to conduct a sweeping overhaul of the system of standards, oversight, and consumer protections, exploring various models to ensure quality and clear redress, with an update to follow in the Warm Homes Plan.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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Government Response AI assessment · 31 of 20 classified
Accepted 8
Accepted in Part 6
Acknowledged 6
Deferred 10
Rejected 1
Total 20 recs + 11 conclusions
Correspondence 1 letter
26 Mar 2025 Correspondence from Nigel Donohue, CEO, CIGA Group, to Chair and Minister for Energy Consumers relating to oral evidence session on 12 February 2025, dated 14 February 2025
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