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
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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
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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
6 results
Clear
3 Recommendation Accepted in Part
1st Report - Retrofitting homes fo…
Announce long-term home retrofit programme beyond 2026, including reduced schemes and relaxed criteria.
The Government must announce a long-term programme for how it plans to support home retrofit beyond 2026 in its Warm Homes Plan. This should include a reduction in the number of schemes offered; significantly relaxed eligibility criteria to prioritise uptake; … Read more
Government Response
The government recognizes the need for a long-term retrofit program and has committed £13.2 billion to the Warm Homes Plan for 2025/26-2029/30, addressing simplified eligibility and area-based retrofit, with further details on allocations to be set out by October this year.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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5 Recommendation Accepted in Part
1st Report - Retrofitting homes fo…
England lacks a single, trusted source for free home retrofit information and advice.
There is a clear need for a single, trusted source of free information and advice on home retrofit that can be accessed via multiple sources. Such provision already exists in Scotland and Wales but does not in England. Consumer advice … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the need for trusted advice and is streamlining existing digital services and a national phoneline into a single user journey. It is also exploring opportunities to work with local advice services, with further steps to be outlined in the Warm Homes Plan.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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26 Recommendation Accepted in Part
1st Report - Retrofitting homes fo…
Publish Net Zero and Nature Workforce Action Plan by 2025 for home retrofit skills.
We recommend that the Government resumes work undertaken by the previous Government to prepare a Net Zero and Nature Workforce Action Plan. This should be published by the end of 2025 and include a specific roadmap for meeting the skills … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the need for a skilled supply chain and highlights significant investment through the Warm Homes Plan, plans to train 18,000 workers, new apprenticeships, and collaboration with Skills England and the Office for Clean Energy Jobs to address workforce challenges in net zero sectors, including retrofit. However, it does not explicitly commit to resuming or publishing a Net Zero and Nature Workforce Action Plan by the specified deadline.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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27 Recommendation Accepted in Part
1st Report - Retrofitting homes fo…
Increase Heat Training Grant to fully compensate workers for lost earnings during retrofit upskilling.
The Government should increase the value of the Heat Training Grant to provide workers with full compensation for lost earnings when taking time off work to upskill on low carbon retrofit. This should take effect until market demand provides sufficient … Read more
Government Response
The government announced an additional £5 million in funding for the Heat Training Grant this financial year and continues to work on ensuring its value for money. However, they are sceptical about plans to fully compensate installers for lost earnings due to concerns about complexity and fraud risks.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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30 Recommendation Accepted in Part
1st Report - Retrofitting homes fo…
Introduce national workforce accreditation and contractor licensing schemes for all retrofit work, ensuring consumer redress.
We recommend that the Government introduces a national workforce accreditation scheme and a national contractor licensing scheme as a prerequisite for carrying out any retrofit work. These should be granted powers to revoke licenses or impose financial penalties for poor … Read more
Government Response
The government announced an intention to conduct a sweeping overhaul of the system of standards, oversight, and consumer protections for retrofit. They are exploring a full range of options for a new system that ensures quality and clear redress, drawing insights from models like the Gas Safe Register, and will provide an update in the Warm Homes Plan.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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31 Recommendation Accepted in Part
1st Report - Retrofitting homes fo…
Seriously improve the Energy Company Obligation policy to clarify installer accountability for poor quality retrofit work.
We found it incredible that the Residential Property Surveyors Association has reported that around 250,000 homes could be un-mortgageable due to spray foam insulation and that the accountability to remedy things remains unclear. We recommend that the Energy Company Obligation, … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the need for fundamental reform in quality assurance and consumer redress, stating that work is underway, and plans for root and branch reform will be set out in the Warm Homes Plan, including considering the future role of energy company obligations post-2026.
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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